Sometimes car accident injuries don’t manifest themselves straight away because of how our bodies work. The adrenaline rush may sometimes mask our injuries, or some symptoms may surface later.
Because of this, it is essential to have a car accident attorney by your side and document your injuries throughout the recovery process. A car accident law firm can help you receive the compensation you deserve. You can receive compensation for both economic and non-economic damages. Contact a law firm right away to learn more. Here are five delayed car crash injuries you can’t afford to ignore, and why.
Psychological Disorders
Car accidents can cause psychological disorders, and they often fall in the non-economic damage section. If you experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, depression, anxiety, or other mental issues, you shouldn’t ignore them.
These symptoms can manifest themselves a couple of days after your accident and can worsen if left untreated. You may experience a series of flashbacks of the accident event, nightmares, sudden anxiety attacks, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, loss of interest in daily activities, and more.
You should visit a psychiatrist or therapist so that they can help you with these psychological disorders. Keep in mind that you can be compensated for these non-economic damages with an attorney by your side. Still, you should also consider the fact that psychological disorders might also indicate traumatic brain injuries or other health issues that fall in the economic damages section.
Back Pain
A very simple late car accident symptom that can be often overlooked or ignored is back pain. This is a common type of injury in car accidents. However, you shouldn’t ignore it at all. Ignoring back pain symptoms caused by a car accident can lead to long-lasting negative consequences.
For example, spinal injuries are often associated with back pain. You might have nerve damage or a herniated disc. These types of injuries are extremely serious and might leave one even permanently disabled if overlooked. Car accident victims often need several chiropractic care sessions to recover after back injuries.
When it comes to spinal cord injuries, you might also experience tingling sensations or even numbness in your extremities. Hand or foot tingling or numbness can occur even a couple of weeks after your accident. Even if these symptoms seem trivial, they are not and should be addressed as soon as possible.
Whiplash
Rear-end collisions are often the most common reason for whiplash injuries. This type of neck injury can manifest itself much later after your car accident. You can experience headaches, neck pain, blurred vision, or even dizziness from whiplash.
Whiplash injuries occur when the neck is suddenly jerked forward due to the crash impact. This causes the muscles and tendons to overextend, which can damage soft tissue. The degree of neck pain can vary from day to day, and it often worsens without medical attention. You should consult with a healthcare provider as soon as possible to begin your recovery.
Concussions
Head injuries are often the most dangerous types of injury you can face. Concussions are a common injury in car accidents, and they occur when a victim receives a blow to the head from the impact of the crash.
When this happens, the brain jolts inside the skull. This is why a concussion is often regarded as a form of traumatic brain injury. Depending on the severity of the impact, concussions can be very dangerous injuries or something less serious.
In either case, seeking medical attention after any head injury is essential. A simple headache symptom can indicate a concussion or traumatic head injury. It’s easy to disregard a headache after a couple of days after your accident as attributed to something else, but you shouldn’t.
Headaches are common symptoms of brain injuries, and they can be accompanied by other symptoms such as mood swings, disorientation, loss of equilibrium, and others. No matter which of these symptoms you face, you can’t afford to ignore them.
Brain injuries can be fatal and long-lasting. It can affect your ability to work, put your life at risk, or damage your interpersonal relations. Don’t delay your visit to the doctor if you face these symptoms, and contact a car accident attorney so that you can have the necessary legal grounds to press charges.
Stomach Pain
Lastly, stomach pain is another delayed car crash injury symptom you cannot afford to ignore. Stomach pain, just like headaches, is sadly often overlooked because we deal with them so often in our lives we don’t think that they can hide something more serious.
However, you shouldn’t skip this sign if you’ve recently been in a car accident. Stomach pain can indicate internal bleeding or other injuries. Internal soft tissue damage can cause stomach pain which can last for several hours or days.
You might witness large bruises on your abdominal area or experience feelings of dizziness. If this is the case, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Why You Will Need a Personal Injury Lawyer
Even in no-fault states such as California, you will still need a personal injury lawyer by your side so that you can be properly compensated for your troubles. The delayed car crash injuries mentioned above are a clear example of why you should never accept a settlement without a lawyer by your side.
Firstly, you don’t know what your injuries are truly worth and how long they will take to heal, not to mention the complications, if there are any. An insurance provider is, in the end, a business whose mission is to make money.
Insurance providers rarely offer a fair settlement amount and will instead try to give you the lowest possible settlement, which might not be enough for your injuries. Not to mention that car accident scenarios don’t imply only physical injuries and property damage but emotional injuries as well, which you should be compensated for.
Negotiations and Reaching Settlement
A personal injury lawyer will collect the necessary evidence for your case and negotiate with the insurance adjuster on your behalf. Insurance adjusters are, after all, good at what they do, and you might not find the proper ways to convince them about your settlement needs without a lawyer by your side.
Not to mention that you will be in your recovery period, and you will most likely won’t want to deal with negotiations anyway in your state. Insurance companies also have their own lawyers that will try to lower the settlement offer as much as they can. However, this is where your lawyer steps in and ensures that you are properly compensated for your injuries while you rest and heal.
Insurance companies shouldn’t delay your needs either, and if they cause more problems, your lawyer will be ready to take things further. Yet, most settlements are reached before going to court. A lawyer is a good intimidating strategy in settlement claims because you might receive your money faster, and you certainly receive more than you would on your own.
Contact a personal injury law firm today and request a consultation on your case. Some of the best firms provide free consultations so you will know right away if you have a strong case on your hands.
