Delayed Pain From My Recent Car Accident
12/21/2020 Car Accidents John Whitfield
Immediately after a car accident, victims may have many obvious injuries, including broken bones, cuts, bleeding, and bruising. With adrenaline pumping, a victim’s body may be in shock, which can mask injuries that are less apparent the day of the car crash. Delayed pain may start to surface after the body has recovered from that shock. The pain may be a headache that just doesn’t go away, some tingling and numbness in your fingertips that started seemingly out of nowhere, or severe neck and back pain that starts days or weeks after the accident. Delayed pain after a car accident is very common and while you may not show signs of these injuries the day of the accident, for weeks and months after you may suffer from serious injuries that require medical treatment.
When Should You See a Doctor?
The best time to see your doctor for injuries related to a car accident is immediately after the collision, even if you do not see any apparent injuries. If you are not able to see your doctor right away and/or walk away from the accident feeling all right, then going to your doctor as soon as possible is the next best time. Your doctor will evaluate your injuries and may order diagnostic tests – including x-rays or an MRI – to see if you have any internal damage. Even if you get a clean bill of health from your doctor, delayed pain after a car accident may still show up. Keep in touch with your doctor and let them know immediately should you find yourself suffering from delayed pain. You may need to get a new evaluation as additional injuries start to reveal themselves.
Will Delayed Pain Affect My Insurance Claim?
Insurance companies, unfortunately, do not typically want to compensate injured parties fairly for injuries, pain, and suffering they experience as the result of a car accident. They will try to close the claim you have made as soon as possible, basing compensation solely on initial doctor’s visits and apparent injuries. This makes claims a bit more complicated when delayed pain is involved. Hiring an attorney right after your car accident will ensure that the insurance company you are working with does not give you the run around or offer you unfair, low compensation for your damages. Tracking your symptoms and seeking treatment from a medical professional as soon as possible will be critical to establishing that your injuries, even if they were delayed in appearing, were a result of the car accident.
Common Symptoms of Delayed Injuries
If it has been hours, days, or even a couple of weeks after the car accident, and the following symptoms appear, seek medical treatment from your doctor as soon as possible:
Abdominal Pain
After a car accident, it may take a little while for the shock to wear off and adrenaline to stop masking your injuries. If you start to feel pain in your abdomen a few hours after the accident, this may be a sign of life-threatening internal bleeding. Deep bruising, pain in the abdomen, dizziness, and fainting are all signs that internal injuries have taken place and you need immediate medical attention. Do not ignore this pain, as not seeking treatment can be a fatal decision.
Headache or Dizziness
Car accidents are known for causing concussions and whiplash, which can result in severe headaches, dizziness, and ringing in the ears. These symptoms may not appear until 24 or more hours after the car accident, and without treatment, they can last for days, weeks, or months. Traumatic brain injuries can be caused by car accidents, and can cause permanent damage if not treated properly. The impact of the accident can cause the soft tissue of your brain to hit the side of your skull which can lead to brain swelling, bruising, and bleeding. This type of traumatic brain injury can be life-threatening, even if you leave the car accident without a scratch on your body. A headache can be the first symptom of these types of injuries and should not be ignored after a car accident. If you develop any type of headache, dizziness, or ringing in the ears after being in a car accident, seek medical attention immediately.
Neck and Back Pain
Delayed neck and back pain after a car accident is incredibly common and should not be shrugged off as stress. Severe back and neck pain can appear hours or even days after a crash. If this type of pain or stiffness appears, it can indicate you have a herniated disc, pinched nerve, soft tissue injury, injured spine, sprained back, neck, or shoulder muscles, or whiplash. Other than delayed pain, numbness, tingling in your limbs, and light-headedness are also indicators of these injuries. If not treated, these conditions can lead to chronic pain, mobility deficiencies, and even paralysis. If you notice any of these symptoms after a car accident, please seek medical treatment.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
A delayed injury that many car accident victims do not expect is an emotional injury. The impact of a violent car accident on your mental health can be subtle or severe and can appear days, weeks, or even months after the accident. The signs of this trauma are not as apparent as delayed physical pain, but can affect daily life and returning to normal. Some signs of PTSD include difficulty sleeping, memory loss, fatigue, difficulty focusing, mood swings, panic attacks, flashbacks, depression, and nightmares. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms after being in a car accident, seek medical attention from a professional experienced in treating PTSD.
Nashville Car Accident Attorneys
Delayed pain after a car accident can be difficult to recover from and may make you worry about receiving fair compensation from the insurance companies you are dealing with. Luckily, Nashville car accident victims can call upon the guidance of the car accident attorneys at Whitfield Bryson LLP to support them throughout the claims process. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a car accident, contact Whitfield Bryson LLP today to discuss your case. Remember, you only have one year following the date of your accident to take action, so don’t delay.