At some point in your life, the following scenario is statistically likely to happen to you: you’re in your car, minding your own business and you’re unfortunately the victim of a car accident. In the immediate aftermath, you take care of what should always be your number one priority – yourself. You stand up, take a walk around and thankfully you’re okay. You have no significant injuries to report. In point of fact, you feel great. You dodged a bullet, right?
Not necessarily. Some injuries sustained as the result of a car accident can wait days or even weeks to manifest themselves by way of certain symptoms. When it comes to car accidents and these types of underlying injuries, there are a few key things you should know about.
Delayed Car Accident Injuries
Suddenly finding yourself with a bad headache a few days after a car accident is absolutely nothing new. However, it could also be a symptom of a potentially serious and even life-threatening problem. Sometimes a headache is just a headache, but other times it could be an advance warning of a clot on the brain or even a neck injury. If this describes your situation, you need to seek medical attention as quickly as you can.
Whiplash is another one of those underlying injuries that can wait weeks to rear its ugly head after an accident. Whiplash is most common if your vehicle is rear-ended, particularly at speeds of 14 miles per hour or less. The classic signs of whiplash include neck and shoulder pain and a general stiffness around your body.
Likewise, many people don’t realize just how fragile the muscles, ligaments and nerves in their body really are. This is another underlying injury that is usually found in rear impact collisions, though it’s unfortunately common in side impact crashes, too. If it’s been a few days since your accident and you suddenly find yourself with mild to severe back pain, head to a doctor right away. In addition to damage to your muscles and ligaments, this could even be a sign of significant damage to your vertebrae – all of which will need to be checked out.
Harshbarger Law: The Friend You Need When You Need It the Most
At Harshbarger Law, our number one priority is and will always be our clients – just the way it should be. If you have any additional questions about underlying injuries after a car accident, or if you’d like to sit down with a passionate expert and speak about your situation in a little more detail, please don’t delay – contact Harshbarger Law today.