After a car accident, damages to your vehicle are usually pretty obvious. The same cannot be said, however, about injuries to your body. While lacerations, fractures, and other physical injuries usually present with clear symptoms, other after car accident symptoms may not show up until long after the crash.
Even though you may walk away from an accident without a scratch, it is still important that you still seek medical attention. Speaking to a Seattle WA car accident attorney can also help you protect your interests and get the compensation you deserve.
How Soon Should I See a Doctor?
Ideally, you should see a doctor immediately after your accident, even if you have no obvious injuries or symptoms. A full evaluation and check-up could help your doctor identify injuries before symptoms even start to appear. Furthermore, if you’re given a clean bill of health, your doctor can help you recognize which symptoms you should look out for over the next few weeks.
Delayed car accident symptoms also pose a big challenge when it comes to dealing with insurance companies. The longer the period between your accident and diagnosis of injury, the harder it is to establish that the accident caused the injury. The insurance company may assume that you are exaggerating or even faking your symptoms.
Don’t Ignore These 6 After Car Accident Symptoms
Generally, there are six types of delayed after car accident symptoms you should not ignore:
- Headaches or dizziness are a possible sign of whiplash, concussion, brain injury, or blood clot.
- Back pain is a possible sign of spinal injury, whiplash, or ligament injury.
- Neck and shoulder pain is a possible sign of spinal injury or whiplash.
- Abdominal pain is a possible sign of internal bleeding.
- Numbness and bruising is a possible sign of spinal injury or herniated disk.
- Emotional distress is a possible sign of concussion, PTSD, or brain injury.
Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Headaches or Dizziness
Headaches or dizziness are potential signs of blood clots, concussion, whiplash or neck injury. All of these injuries could lead to serious complications if left untreated.
Did you hit your head during the accident? You should be aware of the risk of traumatic brain injury. When you hit your head, your brain’s soft tissue can potentially impact the interior of your skull. This impact can lead to bruising, bleeding, swelling and other damage to your brain. A TBI can be life-threatening, even if you walked away without a scratch on your body. Headaches may be the first symptom of a brain injury.
Back, Neck or Shoulder Pain
Sometimes pain to your body doesn’t set in until hours or days after a car accident. Adrenaline and other natural body chemicals can numb your pain for hours after the accident. When you’ve finally calmed down from the incident, pain in your back, neck or shoulders may set in. Pain in all these areas are possible symptoms of spinal injury, whiplash, herniated disc, or other injuries. Pain in your back can also be a sign of pinched nerves. All of these injuries can have long-term ramifications.
Never Ignore Stomach Pain After an Accident
Another symptom you should never ignore after you’ve been in an accident is stomach or abdominal pain. Such pain could be the sign of internal bleeding or internal injuries. Injuries from internal soft-tissue damage may not appear for days after an accident. Serious damage can lead to the need for immediate surgery. Large bruises and dizziness are also signs of internal injuries you should not ignore. Consult your doctor as soon as these symptoms appear.
Emotional Impact of Car Accidents
While physical pain from a car accident may be subtle or delayed, emotional pain is even harder to detect. The signs of emotional trauma may go unnoticed for days or weeks after an accident. Furthermore, you may even miss signs of this trauma altogether, believing the problem is just a result of your “normal” busy life.
Here are some signs of emotional distress you should know:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Nightmares
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Changes in personality
- Lack of motivation
- Panic attacks
- Flashbacks
Speak to a Seattle WA Car Accident Attorney Today
If you experience delayed after car accident symptoms, your first priority should be to seek medical attention immediately. You do not want to risk your health. Your next step should be to speak to an experienced Seattle car accident attorney. We can help you protect your rights and fight against insurance companies who try to avoid paying out insurance claims. Contact Fielding Law Group today.
