(203) 265-2035
free consultation
Car Accidents On Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Many car accident victims do not recognize the possibility of delayed or hidden injuries. They make the mistake of immediately telling the police, paramedics and insurance companies that they are uninjured before waiting for delayed injury symptoms to arise. If you get into a car accident, take your time when determining whether or not you are injured. Several common types of car accident injuries can appear after the shock has worn off.
Back pain after a car accident may not appear right away or can be mistaken for a pre-existing injury. It may take hours or even days for back pain caused by a car accident to develop. The forces of the car accident, however, may have caused a serious and long-lasting back injury, such as a spinal fracture, herniated disk, slipped disk, spinal stenosis or dislocation. Besides pain, other delayed symptoms that can be associated with back injuries are tingling or numbness, muscle spasms, loss of bladder or bowel control, headaches, and weakness.
One of the most common injuries connected to an automobile accident is whiplash. This is a type of soft-tissue injury that affects the muscles, tendons and/or ligaments in the neck or upper back. Neck injuries can be caused by the rapid back-and-forth motion of the head in a vehicle collision. A victim may not notice the symptoms of a neck injury or whiplash right away, especially if adrenaline from the accident is masking pain, stiffness, soreness or a limited range of motion in the neck.
If a crash victim strikes or bumps his or her head in an accident, it could result in a traumatic brain injury. The symptoms of a brain injury do not always arise immediately. A victim might not notice a headache, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea, lapses in memory, trouble concentrating or mood swings until hours or days after the wreck. Delayed symptoms are associated with many different brain injuries, from a mild concussion to severe cranial swelling and bleeding. Brain injuries can take time to damage the tissues enough to cause noticeable symptoms.
Internal injuries are often invisible. A car accident victim might have suffered a severe crush injury or organ damage from the crash, such as a punctured lung or internal bleeding, but these injuries often do not result in symptoms right away. The shock of the accident can mask abdominal pain and result in a victim’s failure to notice the signs of dangerous internal injuries until much later.
Not all car accident injuries are physical. The fear and trauma associated with a car crash can take an emotional toll on a victim, leading to psychological trauma and mental health conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The symptoms of PTSD typically do not appear immediately. They tend to begin days or weeks after a traumatic event. Symptoms can include chronic anxiety, depression, nightmares, flashbacks, fear of driving and mood swings.
If you get involved in a motor vehicle accident in Wallingford, do not answer questions about your injuries right away. Instead, explain that you plan on seeing a doctor before discussing your physical state or any potential injuries. Then, go to a hospital immediately for a physical exam and the medical tests necessary to diagnose you with an injury. A doctor could diagnose you with an injury even before symptoms arise.
If you already told an insurance company that you weren’t injured and then experienced delayed symptoms, you can still recover financial compensation from the other driver’s insurer. However, you may have to deal with the insurance company wrongfully rejecting your claim or requiring excessive proof of injury. In this scenario, contact an attorney to assist you with the financial recovery process.