Nobody expects to be involved in a car accident. While many drivers are cautious and responsible, you can't always avoid the drivers who behave recklessly. The average person is involved in a crash about three or four times in his or her lifetime. In most cases, these crashes aren't severe. Minor crashes can be deceiving, however.
For many people, being involved in a crash is a mere inconvenience. They may be frustrated about being late for work and finding transportation while their car is being repaired. Nobody wants to be inconvenienced by an injury. For that reason, many people carry on after a crash without getting the medical attention they need. In reality, pain and discomfort linked to crashes are often delayed injury symptoms.
What types of injuries cause delayed pain and discomfort?
Crash-related injuries aren't always immediately noticeable. You may feel fine, but experience symptoms hours or days later. We often see this with the following injuries:
- Neck, back and spine injuries. Whiplash is the most common crash-related injury to the neck and spine. It often occurs in rear-end or frontal collisions when the neck whips backward and forward rapidly. The soft tissue in the neck becomes damaged and results in neck pain and stiffness. In more serious cases, disc herniations can occur. This happens when the gel-like fluid that cushions the spinal vertebrae protrudes and compresses the nerves in the spine. Injuries to the neck, back and spine often result in nerve pain, burning, numbness and tingling; loss of mobility; muscle weakness and spasms.
- Strains, sprains and tears. The impact of a crash can cause the muscles, tendons and ligaments to pull and tear. Strains and sprains are often painful and can result in prolonged knotting and discomfort to the affected area even after the injury heals. Swelling, bruising and loss of mobility may also occur. Tears to the muscles, tendons and ligaments can be extremely painful and require surgery to repair.
- Minor head injuries. It doesn't take much impact to cause a minor head injury. Concussions are very common in car accidents, even when crash victims don't lose consciousness. It can take several days to experience headaches; nausea and vomiting; disorientation; mood changes; disrupted sleep; and brain fog. Concussions often go away within a few months with the right treatment but can take longer. Repeat concussions can cause permanent brain damage.
See a doctor and get legal help promptly after a crash
It's important that you see a doctor promptly after a crash, even if you feel fine. A medical evaluation may reveal that you sustained an underlying injury that you weren't aware of. Once you receive a diagnosis, your doctor can begin treating your injury before it gets worse. In addition, promptly seeing a doctor can be helpful when pursuing a car accident claim. That's because insurance companies can't argue that you waited too long to see a doctor. With a proper diagnosis, they can't argue that your injuries are exaggerated.
Furthermore, they can't pin the blame on you if there is enough evidence proving that the other driver's negligence caused your crash. An experienced car accident attorney at Johnson + Johnson Attorneys at Law can use the evidence gathered from the crash scene and your medical evaluation to help you build a strong legal claim. Your crash wasn't your fault. So, why should you have to suffer losses because of someone else's reckless behavior? Our legal team will fight to recover every dollar you're entitled to. We serve clients in the greater Lexington, South Carolina area. Contact us online to set up your free case evaluation.
