If you have ever been in a car accident, you know how traumatic it can be. With your adrenaline elevated and so much happening at once, it can be an overwhelming experience, to say the least. Depending on the severity of your car accident, you may experience instant pain and trauma while some feel the physical result of the accidents days and even weeks later. This unpredictability is why seeking immediate medical attention after a motor vehicle accident is so critical.
Unfortunately, crash-related injuries can develop into serious injuries that can affect your ability to earn a living. The CDC states that crash-related injuries are costly – medical care costs and productivity losses associated with accident injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents exceeded $75 billion in 2017 alone.
Just because you do not feel immediate pain or injury does not mean it is not there. Aside from your wellbeing, seeking medical care is also important for accurately documenting your case. Documenting this information will be beneficial to your insurance claim and personal injury claim. Continue reading to discover the top delayed car accident injuries to watch out for.
#1: Headache
Developing a headache after an accident is quite common in both minor and severe accidents and can be a sign of an underlying injury, such as a traumatic brain injury or concussion. If you’ve been involved in a rear-end collision, it is typical to develop a headache due to whiplash, which occurs when your neck and head are jerked back or forth abruptly. In any case, it is always important to monitor your symptoms (and never ignore them) and seek medical care. Post-traumatic headaches may persist anywhere from days to weeks or may turn into a chronic condition that is a part of your everyday life.
#2: Stomach Pain
After suffering an accident, you may feel like your nerves are shot or you’re overly stressed. Many people that experience abdominal pain following an accident believe it to be linked to their emotions being all out of sorts. However, this can be a sign that there is a more serious injury, such as internal bleeding or organ damage. These types of injuries can be fatal, but are not always immediately painful and can easily go unnoticed and present themselves days after the accident.
Oftentimes, during an accident Seat Belt Syndrome can occur, a common delayed injury that happens when extreme force is applied to your stomach and chest from the seat belt’s restraint. This can result in a wide range of injuries, and even spinal fractures. This is another reason why it is best to get checked out by a medical professional right after an accident.
#3: Back Pain
Back injuries can occur from even a minor accident, as a sudden impact can cause damage to the back’s spinal cord, vertebrae, muscles, tendons discs and nerves. Like many of these injuries, back injuries are often masked after an accident, so it is critical to receive a thorough medical exam. X-rays, CT scans and MRIs may be needed to determine the severity of the back injury. Suffering from back pain after an accident can be a sign of muscle or ligament damage, a pinched nerve or a herniated disk. Back injuries can be extremely debilitating, interrupting your everyday life and the capacity at which you’re able to work and function.
#4: Numbness and/or Tingling
Experiencing numbness or a tingling sensation after an accident can be a sign of nerve damage. Unfortunately, symptoms of this type of injury are often also delayed and worsen days after the accident. Nerves are extremely sensitive and become easily damaged in a car accident. There are many different scenarios that can cause this type of damage, such as whiplash, blunt force and deep lacerations. Living with nerve damage can have a negative impact on your quality of life and affect your ability to work, use a computer, drive and many other normal daily activities.
#5: Neck and Shoulder Pain and/or Stiffness
These symptoms can be another sign of whiplash and other serious injuries such as a spinal injury, herniated disk or a neck fracture. Neck injuries are also common – when you’re in a collision, while your seat belt ensures you are restrained, it can also cause your neck to experience a strong impact from jerking back and forth. If you are feeling pain that is radiating from your neck to your back, it is critical to seek treatment as these injuries can result in long-term complications and conditions.
How to Avoid Delayed Car Accident Injuries
It is always advised to seek immediate medical treatment directly following a car accident. We advise clients not to refuse treatment from an emergency responder or paramedic. If you do not go to the hospital immediately following the accident, see a physician as soon as possible. If you wait to receive medical treatment, your claim may be damaged as they can argue that your injury was not the result of the accident or is not that serious.
It’s critical to know what to do if you’re in a car accident with injuries. Protect your health and legal rights by contacting a personal injury attorney after an accident as soon as possible. A personal injury attorney can evaluate your case to determine the compensation you are owed.
If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a motor vehicle accident, contact Robert L. Cavanaugh, Connecticut Personal Injury Attorney with more than 25 years of expertise, by clicking below or calling (203) 259-5400.