Delayed Injury Symptoms After a Car Accident

Delayed car accident injuries are real, and they can affect anyone who gets involved in a crash. It is not uncommon for individuals to have no signs or symptoms of injuries right after a collision occurs, but these injuries can begin to appear hours or even days after a crash. Here, we want to discuss the delayed injury symptoms that you may experience if you have been involved in a vehicle accident.

You Make it Home and Then Experience Symptoms – Now What?

Right after a vehicle accident occurs, adrenaline begins to course through the bodies of those involved. Adrenaline has a few functions, but the main one is to allow our bodies to feel no immediate pain after a traumatic event so that we can get away from any potentially dangerous situation. This harkens back to our evolutionary “fight or flight” response.

However, adrenaline can also mask the signs and symptoms of injuries to the point where it causes us harm. It can also lead to individuals choosing not to seek medical care right after a vehicle accident, and this could be a problem.

There are various types of injury symptoms that may not show up right away, but it is not uncommon for the signs and symptoms of some vehicle accident injuries to appear hours or even days after a crash occurs. Some of the symptoms that there could be an underlying injury include the following:

• Headaches – Headaches that happened after a vehicle accident could indicate various types of injuries. A headache could indicate that there has been a significant sprain or strain of the upper back and neck muscles. However, headaches could indicate that there has been some type of traumatic brain injury, ranging from a mild to moderate concussion to a severe traumatic issue.
• Pain in the shoulders or neck – Whiplash is one of the most common types of injuries that occur as a result of a vehicle accident, which is what happens when our bodies experience a sudden stop in acceleration. This essentially whips our upper bodies back and forth, and this can place extreme pressure on the tendons, muscles, and ligaments in the neck and shoulder area.
• Back pain – Back pain after a vehicle accident can indicate a wide range of injuries. This could include a sprain of the spinal column, a herniated disc, or various types of soft tissue injuries.
• Tingling or numbness – Tingling or numbness in the body after a vehicle accident could indicate a range of injuries, but most likely has to do with damage in the spinal cord area. A herniated disc could push up against the nerves in the spine and lead to tingling or numbness in areas throughout the body, particularly the legs or arms.
• Abdominal pain – Abdominal pain that gets worse after a vehicle accident could indicate bruising or contusion, likely caused by the seat belt or our bodies ramming against the steering wheel, dashboard, or other objects. This could also indicate that there is internal bleeding that is continuing to worsen.

Work With an Attorney

If you have experienced any delayed vehicle accident symptoms, we encourage you to go to the doctor immediately. Let your doctor know that you have recently been in a vehicle accident so they can conduct their evaluation appropriately. Additionally, you should never agree to any type of settlement with an insurance carrier right after a vehicle accident occurs because you need to account for the fact that there may be injuries that you are not aware of. If you take an early settlement, this will prevent you from going back and recovering compensation at a later date. Call our Denver car accident lawyers today.