Many car accident injuries can be identified immediately, such as a broken bone or severe soft-tissue injury. However, there are delayed injuries. You might not experience symptoms for hours, days, or weeks after the collision.
When new injury symptoms spring up, you must seek treatment immediately. If you wait to see the doctor, your injuries get worse and treatment could become more difficult.
You might think you will not be able to include a delayed injury in your claim, but Galloway Jefcoat may be able to help you. Our experienced Lafayette car accident lawyers know what evidence we need to link a delayed injury to a collision.
What Are Some Common Types of Delayed Car Crash Injuries?
Sometimes car crash victims are not immediately aware they have a severe injury. It could take hours or days for symptoms to get bad enough that the victim will realize something is wrong.
Here are some common examples of delayed car crash injuries:
- Back injuries – For example, you could suffer a herniated disc, which happens when the tissue between your vertebrae ruptures. This can cause inflammation of spinal nerves, which is incredibly painful. It might take weeks or even months for the pain to get so bad the victim knows something is not right.
- Abdominal injuries – Car accidents can violently throw the body around, potentially causing an internal injury. For example, one of your internal organs could rupture or bleed. It might take a few days for victims to experience severe symptoms, like a high fever or coughing up blood.
- Traumatic brain injuries – Some car crash victims do not think they can suffer a brain injury unless they hit their head during the collision. However, this is not true. Your head could get thrown forward so violently that it causes a brain injury. Victims who think they are fine because they did not get hit in the head may delay seeking treatment, allowing a brain injury to become much more dangerous.
- Soft-tissue injuries – You could suffer damage to the soft tissues in your knee, like the meniscus. Sometimes the seriousness of this injury is not immediately apparent. Victims may feel stiff and think that it will resolve on its own without treatment. Crash victims could also suffer sprains or strains of their shoulder. Adrenaline could help mask the pain for a time, causing victims to think there is no injury or only a minor injury.
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Symptoms That Are Often Delayed After a Lafayette Car Accident
There are numerous symptoms of a delayed car accident injury to watch for. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should get treatment right away. Even though the injury might not be severe, it is better to err on the side of caution than to just let it go.
These are some of the common symptoms of a car crash brain injury:
- Memory loss
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Sensitivity to light and noise
- Feeling unusually tired
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fluid draining from your ears or nose
- Seizures
- Struggling to go to sleep
Crashes can also result in back injuries that cause some combination of the following symptoms:
- Muscle spasms
- Pain that worsens when you move around, even when you sneeze or laugh
- Struggling to bend over
- Having trouble walking or standing straight
- Pain that goes down your legs or arms
Some victims may notice the following symptoms that may indicate an abdominal injury:
- Pain or tenderness in your abdomen
- Blood in your urine or stool
- Bruising or discoloration
- Cold skin
- Feeling unusually tired
- Rapid pulse
However, it is important to note that internal bleeding may not cause visible symptoms. A doctor may need to conduct a computed tomography (CT) scan to view the internal bleeding in a car crash victim’s body. If internal bleeding is left undetected for a significant time, it could become life-threatening.
Crash victims should also watch for possible symptoms of a soft-tissue injury, like a knee or shoulder injury:
- Instability in the affected leg
- Popping or clicking noises in the joint
- Swelling
- Discoloration
- Limited range of motion
Psychological Injuries
Not all delayed car crash injuries are physical. You could suffer severe psychological problems, such as:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder, which can result in many symptoms, like flashbacks, anxiety or nightmares
- Phobias, such as fear of driving or being in a car
- Sleep disorders, such as struggling to sleep or sleeping more than usual
It is important to treat psychological injuries, as they can have a long-term effect on your health, just like physical injuries.
Why Do Some Injuries Take a While to Cause Symptoms?
Some injuries can take a while to cause symptoms because of the rush of adrenaline from the situation. This can help to mask symptoms. You might feel stiff or a little tired, but it may not seem bad enough to warrant medical attention.
It is important to note that everyone has a different response to trauma. While some people might not notice symptoms right away, others might because they have preexisting health problems.
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How Do You Prove a Delayed Injury Was Caused by a Car Crash?
After a car accident, go to a doctor right away. Even if you think you are dealing with minor injuries, some symptoms may appear in the future. Delaying medical treatment can make your injuries harder to treat and possibly threaten your life. Delaying treatment can also hurt your chances of recovering full compensation.
It is important to attend all your scheduled appointments. Your lawyer can use medical records,
Including the results of MRIs and other medical tests, to prove your injuries were caused by the collision.
If you miss an appointment, you need to reschedule, otherwise it looks like your injuries have healed.
Here are other tips to help you validate that injuries are a result of a car accident:
- Hire an experienced lawyer to help you. If you try to go it alone, the insurance company is probably going to be less likely to offer full compensation.
- Inform your doctor when you have new symptoms.
- Keep a medical journal to document symptoms and pain level.
- Organize your medical documents in a physical or digital folder.
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Do You Have Delayed Injuries From a Car Crash? Call Galloway Jefcoat
Recovering compensation for a delayed car accident injury can be a challenge, especially if you do not have an experienced attorney representing you.
At Galloway Jefcoat, we have the staff and the resources to help you throughout the legal process. Our attorneys only get paid when you get paid. There are no upfront fees or costs.
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