Being in a car accident and sustaining injuries may have you feeling overwhelmed and confused, not knowing what to do first or where to get help. You may be focusing only on the property you have lost, the car that must be repaired, or how you will get to and from work without transportation. The adrenaline may help you mask any injuries that you may have experienced that are not blatantly obvious. You may be convinced that getting checked out by a healthcare provider is not something you need to prioritize.
However, the team of personal injury attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff & Wolff, LLP recommends you take your health seriously and schedule an appointment with a medical professional as soon as you can after an accident. There may be injuries that are internal and others that may delay in appearing. Nothing is more important than recovering your health. Here are some injuries that may appear hours, days, or even weeks after a car accident.
Whiplash
Whiplash is one of the most frequent injuries caused by a car accident, particularly when you are hit from the back. Victims experience a violent back and forth jerking movement that forces their head and neck to move in unnatural ways.
Whiplash is mainly limited to the neck and suggests that the joints, muscles, and nerves in the area have been overextended beyond their normal range of motion. Victims have neck pain that may extend to the shoulders, upper back, or head. Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, changes in sleep patterns, ringing in the ears, and blurred vision.
It is common for whiplash symptoms to appear hours or days after the actual injury takes place. Treatment includes therapy, exercise, and medication.
Concussions
Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury, and they occur when the body suffers a blow to the head or goes through a sudden change in momentum. This causes the brain to bounce against the skull, and the neck jerks violently back and forth.
Symptoms of a concussion include headaches, mood swings, loss of equilibrium, diminished response time, and sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Damage to ligaments, muscles, or tendons is defined as a soft tissue injury. Sprains, strains, and bruises are also soft tissue injuries, and they may take days or even a week to present themselves after an accident. Symptoms include pain, inflammation, stiffness, difficulty bearing weight, and discoloration.
Psychological Trauma
Psychological trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in some people after being exposed to severe trauma. People in car accidents are susceptible to this disorder just as those who have experienced a sexual assault or have been in combat situations. Symptoms may take days, weeks, or even months to appear and may have lifelong consequences, impacting many aspects of the victim’s daily life.
Diagnosis of PTSD is often difficult and may be dismissed or downplayed by medical professionals, co-workers, and family members. This lack of support may result in aggravated PTSD.
It is common for victims of PTSD after a car accident to feel stressed out whenever they drive by the place of the accident or hear noises that remind them of that fateful day. They may also have difficulty sleeping, experience severe anxiety, have a propensity to startle easily, and lack concentration.
These are just some of the most typical delayed injuries after a car accident. You may have to seek legal counsel to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve for your injuries and losses.