Signs of Delayed Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can cause both physical and emotional pain for all parties involved. In the midst of dealing with immediate damages, it can be difficult to recognize signs of injury. While some people are immediately affected by pain, others may experience delayed onset of injuries. Here are a few common pains to be on the lookout for after you’ve been in a car accident:
Headaches
Headaches after a car accident can take several days to be noticed and should be monitored to ensure they are not something more. While most headaches following a car accident are usually just that – headaches – they can sometimes be a sign of blood clotting in the brain or a concussion. If you hit your head or were thrown around during the car accident, then you definitely want to get checked by a doctor as a head injury could impact the soft tissue of the skull resulting in bleeding, bruising, or swelling of the brain.
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain following a car accident may be a sign of internal bleeding. Internal injuries and cause stomach pain hours or days after a car accident, and can turn deadly if not treated immediately. Bruising around the abdominal area may indicate some serious internal injuries and should be checked by a doctor following the accident.
Neck & shoulder pain
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries from a car accident and can cause serious pain. The head being forced back during an accident can cause stiffness, soreness, swelling, and a limited range of motion. If the neck pain is not from whiplash, it may be caused by a spinal cord injury.
Back pain
The impact of a car accident can lead to spinal injury, herniated disc, and soft tissue damage to the back. These injuries produce serious back pain and a lack of movement capabilities. A car accident can also cause spinal misalignments or vertebrae that are out of place. When these vertebrae are out of place, they can put pressure on nerves surrounding the spinal cord, leading to pinched nerve pain, numbness, or a tingling sensation.
Numbness
Numbness can be caused by whiplash in some extremities. The sensation of pins and needles down your back is common for people with extreme whiplash. This type of pain is usually caused by damage or injury to the nerves surrounding your spine and can persist if not treated.
Behavioral changes
While physical symptoms can be delayed and sometimes hard to detect, emotional symptoms from a car accident, while much harder to be aware of, are indicators of injury as well. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other emotional effects of a car accident present themselves in the hours, days, and even weeks following a car accident. Unfortunately, this type of trauma may not be obvious, and car accident survivors may miss them.
You should go get checked out if you begin to feel any of these symptoms:
- Difficulty sleeping, nightmares
- Loss of appetite
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Mood swings, personality changes
- Sudden loss of interest in things you normally enjoy
- Panic attacks
- Flashbacks
- Sudden intense feelings of sadness, anger, or distress
How long should you wait to get checked out after an accident?
Ideally, you will want to see a doctor immediately after an accident, even if you experience no obvious car crash symptoms. A full check-up and evaluation may be able to help your doctor find any injuries before symptoms even appear. Even if you have been to a doctor and have gotten a clean bill of health, however, stay alert for any symptoms in the days and weeks after your accident.
Call 1-800-411-PAIN and get the help you need! We will refer you to the attorneys that will fight to get you the compensation you deserve and the medical attention you need. If you have been hurt in an accident, call 1-800-411-PAIN, and we will guide you in finding you the best medical and legal professionals.