Personal Injury Lawyer
One of the first things people should do after a car accident is seek medical care. However, if they feel perfectly fine after a crash, they might not think they need medical attention and go home. Then, days or weeks later, they wake up to excruciating pain and other unpleasant symptoms. The adrenaline victims experience right after an accident can block pain signals, making it seem like there are no injuries.
Here are a few car accident injuries that may not show immediate symptoms.
Whiplash
Whiplash frequently occurs during car accidents when the head jolts backward and forward suddenly. The neck injury can cause neck pain and stiffness, dizziness and headaches. However, these symptoms are often delayed. If you do not treat whiplash promptly, it can lead to prolonged neck pain.
Head Injuries
People can sustain head injuries if they hit their head against the dashboard, window or steering wheel in a vehicle accident. While minor head injuries may just require rest, more severe head injuries may require surgery or long-term rehabilitation. Common symptoms of head injuries include headache, blurred vision, confusion, nausea, dizziness and sensitivity to light. Even if you don’t experience these symptoms initially, you may have still sustained a head injury.
Internal Bleeding
Even if you do not see visible blood on your body after a car accident, you could still be bleeding internally. Although some cases of internal bleeding are immediately apparent, other cases are more subtle. However, as you start moving around, you could worsen the injury. Symptoms of internal bleeding include purple-colored skin, dizziness, pain and swelling.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Not all car accident injuries are physical in nature. Some accident victims may develop post traumatic stress disorder after a while. Post traumatic stress disorder can cause anxiety, depression and flashbacks and may require mental health therapy.
Getting Medical Care After a Car Accident
Even if you feel okay after a car accident, it is still important for you to seek immediate medical care. A doctor can conduct a physical exam and run tests to look for signs of injury that you did not notice. Then, your doctor can recommend the appropriate treatment. Waiting too long to see a doctor can jeopardize your health and injury claim.