Your life can change in a moment with the sudden impact of an automobile accident. Not only do you feel scared and shaken, but many people deal with the ongoing effects of car accident injuries.
It’s common to notice immediate pain and injury. At the same time, some of the effects of a car accident don’t show up until days or weeks after the incident. Pay attention to the symptoms you are experiencing so you can talk to a doctor when necessary.
Immediate Symptoms After a Car Accident
Within the first few minutes after the impact, you might discover apparent injuries. These pain points are obvious and require prompt medical attention. Look for visible injuries, such as lacerations. Also, pay attention to other damages that might not be visible, such as impaired function in a limb.
Common immediate car accident injuries include:
- Facial Trauma: Even though seatbelts help to secure your body in place, the face is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body in a car accident. If your face hits the steering wheel, an airbag, or the car door, you might have damage to the skin, bone, teeth, nose, and eyes. These injuries are traumatizing and painful – sometimes leaving scars.
- Burns: The deployment of an airbag can leave a burn on your skin. Severe burns can also happen if the car catches on fire or you come in contact with hot oil. Burned skin requires ongoing treatment and often results in scarring, disfigurement, and severe pain.
- Lacerations: Scrapes and cuts are often the most visible injuries that require immediate attention. Check yourself and look for signs of blood and injured skin. Surface scrapes require first aid, but deep cuts might need stitches.
Symptoms: 1 – 2 Days After a Car Accident
You felt fine at the scene of the accident. But when you wake up the following day, you start to realize that something is wrong. Maybe you have aches and pains that are starting to pop up. Or, you could be experiencing internal pain, a headache, or exhaustion.
Watch out for these delayed symptoms from car accident injuries:
- Internal Organs: Damage to the internal organs is a serious problem – potentially life-threatening. If you are experiencing abdominal pain, then it could be an indication of internal bleeding. Go to the emergency room immediately. Other symptoms of internal damage include fainting, dizziness, bruising, diarrhea, constipation, or fever.
- Concussion: This traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain moves quickly in the skull because the head jerked violently. Watch for headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory loss, confusion, mood swings, or sensitivity to bright lights and loud noises. If you suspect a concussion, then it’s essential to seek medical attention right away. Even a mild head injury can have a life-long impact on someone.
- Whiplash: Pain in the shoulders and neck could be an indication of whiplash. When the neck moves back and forth quickly, it causes injury to the soft tissue. The sudden motion overextends the spine, muscles, and nerves. Symptoms of whiplash include shoulder pain, neck pain, headaches, tinnitus, dizziness, or numbness in the hands or arms.
Long Term Symptoms from Car Accident Injuries
Symptoms can arise a few days, weeks, or even months after the car accident. Just because you feel fine in the initial stages of recovery doesn’t mean that you won’t be dealing with other injuries in the future.
These are a few of the most common delayed car accident injuries:
- Soft Tissue Injuries: This category of injury covers any damage occurring to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. It often takes time before these injuries appear. Watch for signs of soft tissue injuries, such as discoloration, swelling, stiffness, and pain. After a car accident, soft tissue injuries often affect the spinal discs and back muscles.
- PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can happen after any traumatic, violent event. If you are in pain and feeling scared after the car accident, PTSD might affect many aspects of your life. It can take days, weeks, months, or even years before the symptoms of PTSD arise. Symptoms of this psychological disorder include anxiety, mood swings, sleep disruptions, hopelessness, difficulty concentrating, and changes to eating or sleeping patterns.
Car Accident Settlement: More Than Medical Bills
Many car accident victims receive a settlement, which means you won’t likely need to go to court to receive compensation. But there are times when it makes sense to file a personal injury lawsuit, depending on the severity of your injury. If you are dealing with significant health concerns and life-long effects after a car accident, then you should seek compensation.
Insurance companies prefer settling car accident cases out of court to save money. But you should always talk to an attorney before you sign on the bottom line for a settlement offer. Remember: the insurance company is working hard to reduce its expenses. Your attorney might be able to help you access more compensation.
The truth is that a car accident settlement can include much more than the cost of your medical bills. Here are some of the payment categories your attorney will consider in settlement negotiations:
- Medical Bills: Any money you are spending on medical care and treatment is eligible for reimbursement from the insurance company. Medical bills include everything from hospital care to doctor’s visits, therapy, and more.
- Lost Wages: Were you unable to work due to your injuries? Then you should seek compensation for lost wages during your recovery.
- Pain and Suffering: When a serious accident occurs, you will deal with the life-long effects of these injuries. Pain and suffering is compensation for both physical and emotional stress.
Talk to An Attorney about Your Car Accident Injuries
There’s no question that you need to see a doctor about your injuries. At the same time, also prioritize a conversation with an experienced attorney. Too often, car accident victims face hefty medical bills and ongoing financial stress.
You need to focus on your recovery and healing. Don’t let the worry about paying your medical expenses distract you from the things that matter most. A car accident attorney can help you recover the compensation you deserve. Our team at Wormington & Bollinger is here to help. For more information about car accident injuries and compensation, contact us today.