Car accidents can be traumatic experiences, often leaving victims with immediate and visible injuries. However, not all injuries manifest right away. Some may take hours, days or even weeks to show symptoms.
These delayed injuries can be just as serious, if not more so, than immediately apparent ones. Understanding the nature of delayed injuries and how to handle them is crucial for anyone involved in a car accident. Some of the most common injuries that have delayed symptoms after a car accident are found here.
Common delayed injuries
Some injuries are hidden and masked by the adrenaline released throughout your body when an accident occurs. Others just take time to develop. Some of the most common delayed injuries after a car accident include:
- Whiplash
- Concussions or TBIs (traumatic brain injuries)
- Internal injuries
- Back and spine injuries
As more time passes after the accident, the potential for these injuries to worsen increases. In some cases, they may even become fatal. This is why seeking medical attention immediately after an accident is so important.
What to look for
In many cases, even injuries with delayed symptoms will have signs. However, many people brush these off, thinking they are minor and not linked to anything serious. If you notice any of the following after an accident, seek medical evaluation immediately, as it could be a sign of a more serious delayed injury.
- Pain in the back or neck
- Headaches or ringing in the ears
- Numbness or tingling in your limbs
- Emotional distress (PTSD)
The impact of delayed injuries
There is no question that these injuries can impact your health and recovery after an accident; however, that is not all. Delayed injuries can also complicate legal claims. Insurance companies might question the connection between the accident and the injuries. To protect your rights, it’s important to document everything, seek medical attention promptly as well as legal guidance.
