Personal injury attorneys often recommend that car accident victims go to the hospital immediately, even when they feel fine. It is common for adrenaline from a car accident to mask the pain of an injury. In other cases, an injury might not show symptoms for a few hours or even days. You may still be entitled to financial compensation for a delayed injury after a car accident in Massachusetts.
Whiplash
Whiplash is an injury of the soft tissues of the neck. It earns its name from the mechanism of the injury: the tendons and ligaments in the neck can get strained or torn when the head whips rapidly back and forth. Whiplash is common in rear-end collisions.
Although you may notice neck pain or other symptoms of whiplash right away, these symptoms could also remain hidden. You might not notice pain when you move your neck, stiffness, tingling in your arms or other symptoms until the night of your crash or the next day.
Back Injuries
Soft-tissue injuries in the back could also take more time to appear after a car accident. Your adrenaline may hide the pain from a pulled muscle, torn ligament or herniated disk. After the crash, however, you may notice back pain that ranges from mild to severe. If the car accident pushed a vertebra out of place, for example, it could press on the surrounding nerves and cause pain or numbness that you may not feel right away.
Other Soft-Tissue Injuries
A car accident can cause soft-tissue injuries to other areas of the body, as well, especially joints such as your knee and elbow. Since these injuries are not as traumatic as a bone fracture, you may not notice them immediately. After the excitement of the car accident has died down, however, you may notice pain, swelling, bruising, immobility or other signs of a soft-tissue injury that requires medical care.
Brain Injuries
Brain injuries, such as concussions or more severe traumatic brain injuries, can take time to make themselves known. Some brain injuries take days or even weeks to cause symptoms. A brain injury may not show symptoms until the bleeding, bruising, swelling or another issue becomes severe enough to cause noticeable health problems.
In other cases, a victim may not recognize the symptoms of a brain injury. For example, many people do not realize that depression, mood swings, trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating after a car wreck could all point to a brain injury. This is why it is important to see a doctor right away for tests such as a CT scan if you hit your head in a car accident.
Internal Injuries
A serious or high-impact car accident can potentially cause internal injuries. The force of your body slamming against a seat belt, for example, could cause damage to your internal organs, including your liver and kidney. If organ damage is not repaired immediately, you could suffer lasting damage due to internal bleeding or organ failure. You may not notice symptoms associated with internal injuries until several hours later, however, such as abdominal pain or swelling, a headache, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting.
What to Do About a Delayed Injury
The best way to protect your physical health after a car accident is by going to the nearest hospital without delay. A doctor can run tests and potentially diagnose you with an injury that you do not yet notice. Prompt medical care can improve your ability to heal and even save your life. If you don’t go to a hospital, look out for potential injury symptoms after a crash, such as headaches, nausea, pain, numbness, tingling or changes in your behavior.
If you are diagnosed with a delayed injury, contact a Lowell car accident attorney to discuss your ability to file an injury claim. Your auto insurance company or the other driver’s carrier may be responsible for paying for the medical costs associated with your injury. An attorney can give you advice as to what to say and do to improve your chances of recovering compensation for a delayed injury – including if you already told an insurance company that you weren’t injured. Contact an attorney today.