Car accidents are traumatic events, even when there is no visible damage. Often you experience a mental fog after a car accident. This makes it hard to focus. Absent broken bones or lacerations, you may not be immediately aware that you have suffered an injury. Some injuries are not symptomatic until much later. Some of these types of injuries can have the most serious and long-lasting consequences.
Here we discuss 7 delayed injury symptoms that you should not ignore if you have recently experienced a car accident. If you notice any symptoms after a crash, please contact your doctor to be evaluated. You should also get in touch with Northwest Women’s Injury Law to learn about your legal rights and options. Contact our office today for a free consultation.
1. Headaches and Dizziness
A headache a few days after a motor vehicle accident is very common. Most often, the cause of the pain is benign. However, it could be a symptom of a more serious problem such as concussion or neck injury.
2. Shoulder or Neck Pain
When you experience shoulder or neck pain it may be due to a herniated disc, spinal cord injury or other types of injury. Shoulder and neck pain are common symptoms of whiplash and may appear after several days of your accident.
3. Back Pain
Experiencing back pain after a few hours or days of the accident may be a symptom of soft tissue injury, a herniated disc, spinal cord injury, whiplash or a sprain. Numbness, tingling, and pain in the back may also be due to pinched nerves. These types of conditions may cause chronic pain and mobility disorders if not treated immediately.
4. Stomach Pain or Bloating
Experiencing stomach pain or bloating after a car accident usually means that you have an internal injury or bleeding. Other symptoms that indicate internal injuries are vomiting of blood, bloody, dark or black stools, feeling dizzy when standing up, fainting. Any of these symptoms accompanying abdominal pain or swelling must be evaluated immediately.
5. Numbness, Tingling, or Loss of Feeling
Nerve damage can occur anywhere in the body after a car crash. The associated sensation may be tingling, stinging, as well as, partial or total loss of feeling. These symptoms are indicative of compression of the nerves in your neck or spine. This can be due to swelling. Compression of peripheral nerves that are located near an injury, like a cut or bruise can cause similar symptoms. If not treated, these types of injuries may result in irreversible tissue or nerve damage.
GOT QUESTIONS… JUST CLICK HERE!6. Changes in Mental State
Concussion symptoms are stealthy and may not become evident for hours after a head injury. Lethargy is the most common symptom of concussion or traumatic brain injuries (TBI). If you notice that a crash victim becomes excessively sleepy suddenly, seek help immediately. Other symptoms to watch for include, problems completing simple tasks, confusion, loss of coordination, impaired memory, altered vision, and ringing in the ears. The CDC reports injuries from MVAs account for around 14% of all TBIs.
7. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition that can arise in the aftermath of being involved in a car accident or after seeing a loved one suffer severe injuries in a crash. Women are 4.5x more likely to suffer PTSD after a car crash than men. If you suffer from flashbacks, panic attacks, anxiety or depression as you try to move past a crash, you should take those symptoms seriously and seek help from a mental health professional. Many car accident victims eventually overcome PTSD through a combination of therapy, group counseling and, perhaps, medication as well.
The consequences of a car accident are costly for the survivor emotionally, physically, and financially. Serious complications may occur as a result of a motor vehicle accident, appearing days to weeks after the trauma. It is important to seek medical attention and legal advice as soon as possible.
Both injury and recovery are different for women. Their injuries, losses, and outcomes are unique. As a result, their representation must also be unique. Let us help you get back to the things you love sooner. If you have experienced delayed onset injury symptoms after being victim of a car accident in Western Washington (including Seattle, Tacoma, Everett, Bellevue, Bothell, Edmonds, and Issaquah) contact Northwest Women’s Injury Law today to discuss your case. (425) 818-5331.
