A serious injury can put a strain on your every-day life. You may not notice how easy it can be to take your health for granted, until you are involved in a collision. Even a minor accident can have a devastating effect on your health.
You may have walked away from a collision feeling lucky, only to wake up the next day and feel as though the event just took place. You will find that in some injuries, symptoms may take time to manifest.
Common areas for delayed injury symptoms
There are certain injuries in which you may not experience immediate discomfort. Some of the more common areas this can occur are as follows:
- Head: You may develop headaches following an accident, and while these may not seem severe at the time, you should seek medical attention. What you may think of as a migraine could potentially be a concussion, or worse. Brain injuries are more common in car accidents than you might think, and can result in life-long consequences.
- Neck and shoulders: If you are having pain in these areas, you may have experienced whiplash. The effects are usually delayed, and injuries to the neck and shoulders can cause you a great deal of agony.
- Back: The back is one of the most common areas affected in a collision. An accident can have an impact on several different areas in your back, such as muscles or nerves. Pain in these areas can take some time to appear.
- Abdomen: When you think of the abdomen, you may not realize how significant an injury to this area can be. Abdominal pain can be the result of internal bleeding, which can be life-threatening if you are not diligent in seeking medical treatment.
An accident can also cause you to lose feeling in certain parts of the body. This can be a sign of an injury to the neck and/or spine. These injuries are mostly prevalent amongst individuals who experience whiplash.
Along with any physical injuries, a car accident can cause intense emotional distress as well. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common amongst accident victims, and can be challenging to overcome.
If injured in an accident, what’s next?
If you are involved in a collision, a serious injury may be present, even when you don’t feel any immediate symptoms. Focusing on your recovery may be your top priority during this time, which could force you to take time off work, and you may end up with extensive medical bills as well.
If the other driver is deemed to be at fault in the accident, you may wish to pursue financial restitution through the civil justice system. You may choose to speak with a personal injury attorney for assistance during these trying times. An experienced attorney can guide you through the process and fight to help you obtain the maximum amount of monetary damages to which you are entitled.
