Your accident happened in a flash. You were slowing down to avoid hitting a car in front of you on the freeway. Then just seconds later . . . CRUNCH. Your body jolted forward, your airbags deployed, and you hoped you’d be OK.
Thankfully, the car behind you had been slowing down too, just not fast enough. Your car was totaled, and you were lucky to just have some minor scrapes and bruises. However, a few days later, you can hardly get out of bed. Everything hurts: your back, your neck, your legs, your arms. You are experiencing delayed injury symptoms after an accident, a very common occurrence.
What to know about delayed injury symptoms
Delayed injury symptoms can occur days or weeks after an accident. They are common because of how the human body responds to trauma. It produces adrenaline, which can mask injuries.
Some of the most common injury symptoms that surface days after an accident include the following:
- Severe headaches
- Neck or shoulder pain
- Back pain
- Abdominal pain
- Numbness (which can be a sign of whiplash)
- PTSD (common in children and often having flashbacks of the accident)
Seeking medical treatment
When you experience delayed injury symptoms after an auto accident, you need to seek medical care immediately. You want to ensure you can start treating your injury right away. You could have a concussion, whiplash or internal bleeding.
You also want to seek medical treatment, so you have a record of your injury for your insurance claim. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for insurance companies to try to avoid paying for your full injury costs and time you miss from work. Often, insurance companies try to settle with accident victims for the lowest amount possible after a car accident.
If you have problems getting the compensation you need after an accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury attorney. An attorney can help you fight for the compensation you deserve.