Being involved in a car accident is a jarring experience that can leave you with some trepidation in regards to getting behind the wheel again. This is only made worse if you suffered injuries as a result of the crash. Unfortunately, though, not all injuries present themselves right away. Adrenaline and shock are powerful agents when it comes to masking pain.
Being involved in a car accident only to suffer from delayed injuries is challenging from a legal standpoint too. If you haven’t sought out medical assistance after the crash, the eligibility of those injuries to be included in an insurance or legal claim could be called into question. Learn the common signs of delayed car accident injuries so you avoid this situation and can build a case for the just compensation you deserve.
Why Some Car Accident Injuries Have Delayed Symptoms
As mentioned, the problem with certain common car accident injuries is that they have delayed symptoms. Adrenaline and shock are the immediate response to an incident such as this. The fight-or-flight response your body produces can naturally suppress pain and its symptoms fairly efficiently. This means that you may only notice the symptoms of injuries you suffered hours or even days later, if not longer.
Soft tissue injuries, concussions, spinal injuries, and more are all examples of injuries that can develop long-term symptoms. The gradual onset of pain and stiffness you feel can quickly lead to a loss of quality of life and, assuming you didn’t include these in your damages or insurance claim, you may not be able to claim compensation. This is why working with an accredited lawyer to document any injuries, as well as visiting the medical room regardless of whether you notice any physical symptoms after a crash, is so important.
Common Delayed Symptoms and What They Could Indicate
Fortunately, there are well-documented long-term symptoms of injuries following an accident, meaning you can know what to look for. Identifying an underlying issue can be a challenge, though, as each of the following symptoms can have various causes. Regardless, visit a doctor as soon as possible to figure out what specifically is afflicting you:
- Headaches: These could signal a concussion, whiplash, or even a traumatic brain injury (TBI), especially if there are serious symptoms like migraines, because these could indicate a blood clot or internal bleeding.
- Neck and Shoulder Pain: This is often linked to whiplash, which can take hours or days to develop, and sometimes, depending on the pain, it may indicate a spinal injury.
- Back Pain: Rear-end and side-impact crashes can cause herniated discs, muscle injuries, or fractures, but be wary of persistent lower back pain as it might signal a more serious condition.
- Numbness or Tingling: This could be a sign of nerve damage or spinal cord injuries, so seek urgent medical care if this occurs in sensitive areas, is prolonged, or if it impacts your daily life.
- Abdominal Pain and Bruising: Seatbelt injuries can cause internal bleeding or organ damage, so keep an eye out for bruises that grow and any abdominal pain associated with it.
- Emotional and Psychological Symptoms: PTSD, anxiety, or depression can develop after an accident, which can leave you struggling to get behind the wheel, which is why seeking mental health support in addition to physcial treatment is so important.
In the case of a car accident, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Many injuries don’t present themselves right away and you need to take the time to ensure you are truly alright after your accident, both from a health and legal perspective.
The Importance of a Medical Evaluation After a Car Accident
It should come as no surprise that an early diagnosis of an issue results in a better chance of solving or treating that issue. Early diagnosis can also prevent long-term complications. You shouldn’t wait for symptoms to appear before going to your doctor, especially not after something like a car accident, which can cause hidden injuries.
If you happen to notice confusion, slurred speech, severe headaches, or dizziness, you need to get to a doctor as soon as possible, as these can be indicative symptoms of something that requires immediate medical attention. Also, if you are suddenly fainting or have new large bruises that have formed after the accident, it can be a sign of internal bleeding and should also be a cause to go to the doctor right away.
How Delayed Injuries Can Impact Your Legal Claim
Seeking medical attention early isn’t just good for your health but also for legal purposes. By having formal documentation of any and all medical issues stemming from the car accident, you can strengthen your personal injury claim if you file one. For insurance purposes, an insurance company may try to argue that delayed symptoms are unrelated to the accident, but if you have a record of you visiting the doctor and initial symptoms listed, it makes it harder to refute.
Be aware that you also only have a certain amount of time to make a claim against someone. This can vary from state to state, but many states mandate that a personal injury claim must be made within 2 years of the injury. Even if you wait up until just before that expires, you may not have documentation for some injuries, and your settlement or verdict amount could be less than what it otherwise might have been.
Defend your medical wounds in court
Anybody involved in a car accident on the road needs to take the time to monitor for delayed symptoms and to seek medical care when anything is amiss. Physcial symptoms might already be too late for certain injuries, which is why being proactive is your best choice after a wreck. Contact your doctor as soon as possible after an accident and ask them to perform a thorough inspection to see if anything is wrong. This will allow you to both have documentation of the issues as well as peace of mind that nothing serious is hiding within your body. If you do have hidden injuries, contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible so that you can work to include these damages within your lawsuit or insurance claim.
