Car accidents tend to cause obvious injuries, but in other times, injury symptoms may not be present until hours, days, or even weeks later. Delayed injuries are actually common among car accident victims, and it can make matters worse if the victim did not seek medical attention afterwards. People often describe how they felt okay initially, but then woke up the following morning with pain they hadn’t felt the day before. There are some injuries that take time to exhibit symptoms, which is why it is so important that people get medical attention after being in a car accident, regardless of if they think they sustained injury or not. A doctor can begin treatment for potential injuries that the person may not feel completely yet.
Conditions that tend to have delayed onset include concussions and other head-related trauma. But what is scary about these kinds of injuries is that if medical attention is not sought quickly, it can turn into a life or death situation. It is crucial that victims get medical care right away to minimize the impact of injury and properly document their symptoms. As your lawyer may suggest, it’s better to be safe and take precautions now than to be sorry later because you waited too long. Other injuries that frequently have delayed symptoms include:
- Whiplash
- Neck and back injuries
- Strains, sprains, and contusions
- Spinal cord injuries (like herniated discs)
- Mental health problems (like anxiety or PTSD)
By getting seen by a doctor, you are also starting a paper trail for your injuries. So when you pursue a claim against the at-fault driver, you are more likely to get fair compensation because you sought medical care and have records of your injuries. Examples of symptoms for delayed injuries include fatigue, headaches, abdominal pain, muscle tightness, back/neck/shoulder pain, trouble waking up or sleeping, dizziness, blurry vision, memory problems, numbness in extremities, memory loss, memory problems, sensitivity to sounds and lights, and changes in personality or behavior.
It is recommended that victims of car accidents get medical care and then reach out to a lawyer as soon as possible, like a car accident attorney clients depend on at Glotzer & Leib, LLP. A lawyer can be a great resource at this time, as they can advocate for your recovery and fair restitution from the driver at-fault. As mentioned above, many car accident victims don’t realize how seriously they are hurt until the symptoms are bothersome and undeniable.
For this reason, an early medical evaluation is strongly advised. If you wait to get care, then you could be causing the condition to get worse. Some people may be inclined to hold off and wait because they want to see how they’ll feel in a few days. But by then, injuries may have set in and are now more severe than if treatment was provided the same day as the accident.
