Immediate Medical Attention After a Car Accident
One of the most important things you can do when you have been involved in a car accident is to seek immediate medical attention. You may feel that your injuries are minor, but it is not unusual for late-appearing car accident injuries to occur. If you have not started your medical care right away, it will be more difficult to get treatment for your injuries later.
Understanding Injuries Appearing Late After A Car Accident
At first, you may think that late-appearing car accident injuries are something that is not possible. After all, if you are injured, you would know it right away.
While it is obvious that you are injured when you have broken or fractured a bone because of the pain and swelling, or you have suffered lacerations and are bleeding, not all injuries are obvious.
When you are involved in a car accident, your body is filled with adrenaline, and your emotions are running very high. These two factors alone can cause you to overlook simple pains or problems that are actually an injury. For example, a headache or upset stomach you have at the accident scene may not be from being upset; it may be the result of a concussion, whiplash, or internal organ damage.
Soft-Tissue Injuries After A Car Accident
Once the chaos has settled down from the car accident, it is not uncommon to start experiencing pain and discomfort. This could happen anywhere from a few hours to several days after the accident. This is often a result of soft tissue damage.
The most common injury associated with soft tissue damage is whiplash. Discovering whiplash after a car accident is quite common. An accident victim may start experiencing:
- Headaches
- Stiff or sore neck
- Pain in the shoulder area
- Difficulty moving neck or shoulders
- Nausea or dizziness
All of these symptoms are a sign that whiplash has occurred. Your injuries will need to be medically treated so that you can make a recovery from this injury.
Other soft tissue damage may occur to your joints, especially the knees when a car accident occurs. If you start experiencing swelling and pain, this is most likely a result of the car accident.
Concussions After A Car Accident
Discovering concussions after a car accident is not unusual. A concussion can occur even if the head does not make an impact on anything during the accident. All it takes is a swift movement of the head (whiplash) to slam the brain around, and a concussion occurs.
Concussions are dangerous if left untreated. They are a form of brain injury and can lead to serious side effects. Some symptoms of a concussion include;
- Headache
- Inability to focus eyes
- One eye is dilated
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of balance
- Slurred speech
- Loss of memory
- Confusion
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you must seek immediate medical care.
Denied Medical Benefits
If you seek treatment for whiplash after a car accident, concussion treatment, or any other delayed injury care, you may encounter problems with the insurance company. Insurers are quick to blame “other” events for your injury when they have not been diagnosed on the day of the accident.
Do not let this prevent you from seeking care. If the insurers are giving you problems covering your medical care from a car accident, you should speak to a car accident lawyer.
Working with a lawyer will give your case the push it needs for the insurance company to take the late-appearing car accident injuries seriously. Your lawyer will be able to show how your injuries are a direct result of the accident and why you deserve to have your medical care costs covered.
Even if you delayed medical care on the day of the accident, you still have rights as an injury victim. Speak with a lawyer about the accident and your injuries, and they will provide you with the information you need to make a successful claim.
Content updated: Originally published Nov. 09, 2020
