Car accidents, no matter how minor they may seem, have the potential to leave victims with long-lasting pain. On top of the mental and emotional side effects a car accident victim may experience, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there are dire physical consequences.
Given the speed, force, and weight of a motor vehicle, it’s no surprise that the physical toll of a car accident can take months or even years from which to recover. However, all too often, people involved in a car accident can walk away from the wreck and don’t realize that they could have serious injuries that haven’t yet manifested.
What to Expect Physically After a Car Accident
Many car accident victims don’t even feel the full brunt of their injuries until some time later. Therefore, even if you do not immediately experience severe pain or symptoms, you should still seek professional medical treatment.
It’s difficult to know what to expect physically after a car accident. Some car accident injuries are obvious, such as a broken bone or excessive bleeding. In these cases, it’s clear that the car accident victim is in urgent need of medical treatment.
But what about the other types of injuries that aren’t as apparent? After a car accident, several symptoms and side effects you might experience could be indicative of a more serious problem.
Keep an eye out for the following symptoms in the aftermath of a car accident:
Headaches
It’s not uncommon to experience a headache after an accident. However, headaches can be a symptom of a larger problem, such as a traumatic brain injury or a concussion. Headaches, especially when experienced in conjunction with nausea, vomiting, or other flu-like symptoms, are reason enough to seek out the advice of a doctor following the crash.
Loss of concentration
Another symptom of a traumatic brain injury is the loss of the ability to focus. While it makes sense that a car accident is enough to frazzle a person and disrupt their day, memory loss should be taken seriously.
Extreme fatigue
Extreme fatigue or excessive sleeping are often symptoms of something more serious, such as a traumatic brain injury or clinical depression.
Neck pain
Many victims of rear-end collisions experience whiplash, which is when your head whips back and forth in the crash. Whiplash can lead to other injuries as well, such as neck and shoulder sprains or a herniated disc.
Furthermore, while the neck pain may seem minimal at first, related pain from the whiplash may take hours – or even days – to appear after the collision.
Stomach pain
If you have a stomach ache or severe abdominal pain following the accident, it’s possible that you are suffering from internal bleeding, soft tissue damage, or internal organ damage. These injuries are extremely serious and must be treated as soon as possible.
Putting off a trip to the doctor might seem tempting when you’ve been in an accident. It seems like there are so many other things to focus on: filing a police report, documenting the crash, speaking with your insurance company. All of these are important steps to take after a crash.
It’s equally, if not more important, to prioritize your health.
The physical toll of a car accident may be more extensive than you may think. Recovery may not be as easy as you think it will be. The timeline of recovering from a car accident looks different for every person and depends on many additional factors, such as the intensity of the crash and how soon you start the recovery process.
Make sure you follow your doctor’s advice and get plenty of rest to heal. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible to give yourself the best chance at a full recovery.
Common Car Accident Injuries
On top of the previously mentioned side effects that you should be aware of if you have been in an accident, there are several other common car accident injuries. Each of these injuries can leave a person with extensive damage and may require different levels of medical treatment:
- Broken or fractured limbs
- Broken ribs
- Shoulder injuries
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries and whiplash
- Internal organ damage
- Soft tissue injuries
- Knee trauma
- Herniated discs
- Muscle sprains
- Road rash
Seeking medical treatment after an accident will ensure that your injuries are examined and that you have the best shot at recovery. Furthermore, a doctor can provide their examination findings to your car accident lawyer. Your lawyer will then use these as evidence to build your car accident case as you seek damages for your losses.
If you have recently been in a car accident and have not yet sought medical treatment, it is urgent that you do so. It’s a very real possibility that you could be more injured than you realize. The longer you delay seeing a medical professional, the more you could unknowingly exacerbate your injuries.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer Today
No one truly knows what to expect physically after a car accident until it happens to them. On top of recovery, car accident victims also must deal with the other driver’s insurance company, complicated legal processes, and vehicle repairs. It can be difficult to know what to do or who to turn to in that kind of situation.
Fortunately, with an experienced auto accident lawyer on your side, you don’t have to face all of these things alone. Langdon & Emison has over 30 years of experience in representing car accident victims and their families. Let our firm serve as your advocate. We’ll take care of the details so you can focus on healing.
Schedule your risk-free case review today by calling (866) 931-2115 or contact us online. We look forward to assisting you.
