Pain after car accidents isn’t unusual, given the sudden impact your body may have suffered. Even with good seat belts and airbags, whiplash symptoms, delayed and immediate, are common. So are soft tissue injuries and even bone fractures.
On the other hand, you may think you’ve walked away without a scratch. But some injuries don’t show up until later. So what should you look out for? In this blog, we’ll review several common types of injury that can sneak up on you — and that can sometimes be deadly. To learn more, contact Brylak Law today.
Go to a Doctor, Even If You Don’t Think You’re Hurt
Just because you feel fine doesn’t mean you are. Whiplash symptoms delayed and hidden by adrenaline at the time of the accident may suddenly hit hours later. The same goes for all kinds of bruises, and sometimes even bone-breaks. We’ve all heard stories of people who went for X-rays for some reason, only to have a doctor ask, “When did you break this bone?” and the break was news to them. Sometimes you may think an injury is more minor than it is.
That’s why you need a complete exam by a doctor, whether you feel pain after car accident events or not. The doctor knows what to look for and may find issues you don’t expect. Delayed realization of head, neck, or back injuries is especially common after car accidents. Needless to say, even if the doctor doesn’t find an injury, it may show up later.
The longer you wait to make a claim, the less likely the insurance company will take you seriously. They often perceive sudden pain days later as false claims.
Delayed Symptoms to Watch For
Stomach pain may indicate internal injuries or internal bleeding days after the accident. If the pain persists for more than a few hours or is intense, get to an emergency room or urgent care clinic right way.
Back pain is another common type of damage after a car accident. Don’t take chances with your spine! Whether you see bruising or have deeper pain, you might have suffered damage to a disk, vertebrae, or even to the spinal cord itself. Some types of whiplash symptoms delayed by adrenaline or other body pain may also present as back pain. Sometimes it’s accompanied by numbness and tingling.
Pain in the shoulders or neck may also point toward whiplash or spinal injury. If the spine or nerves are involved, it may take days before swelling presents itself as pain. Even soft tissue pain may not manifest for hours.
Dizziness and headaches may result from head injuries, particularly concussions and blood clots (which can be very dangerous), as well as whiplash and other neck injuries. Even if they seem minor, have them checked before they turn major. It may be just a tension headache, but it may be more. Even traumatic brain injury may present as something minor at first, so see to it if you’re dizzy or head achy, especially if you suffered a blow to the head in the accident.
Numbness or tingling sensations anywhere in your body, even in the extremities, may indicate nerve damage or a herniated disk in your spine. It’s not likely to get better on its own, so get yourself medical care to track down the cause — and report it immediately.
Other physical injuries you may incur could include deep bruising, lightheadedness, internal bleeding, and fainting. If you experience these or any other symptoms, be sure to have yourself examined and diagnosed.
Emotional impact from a car accident shouldn’t be ignored. Post-traumatic stress disorders may take a while to manifest and aren’t unusual if someone was seriously injured or killed in the accident. Symptoms of emotional distress to keep watch for include:
- Sleeping problems
- Listlessness
- Fatigue
- Loss of memory
- Difficulty concentrating or focusing
- Appetite changes
- Personality changes
- Mood swings
- Emotional distress
- Trouble controlling emotional responses
- Loss of interest in life and hobbies
- Sudden relationship issues
- Loss of motivation
- Nightmares or flashbacks
- Panic and anxiety attacks
- Acute, unexplained distress, anger, or sadness
If you suffer any of these symptoms, especially more than a few, seek help from a counselor or physician — and be sure to report the issues to your claim specialist.
How to Handle Delayed Pain After a Car Accident
Even if your pain or injuries manifest many days after your car accident, you deserve compensation. However, the insurer may be critical of your claim after a certain point in time, thinking you’re trying to bilk them for a greater payment. If your injuries are genuine, get proof from your doctor — and if necessary, seek an attorney to help you cut through denials or red tape. You shouldn’t be penalized just because some injuries took longer to manifest than others.
Brylak Law Can Help You Recover Compensation for Your Injuries
If the insurance company accuses you of faking it, speak to a car accident lawyer at Brylak Law today. Pain after car accident can develop into something much worse. You deserve compensation for your injuries, and we can help.
