After a car accident, you may have adrenaline rushing through your body that masks the symptoms of many types of injuries. In fact, auto accident victims may not discover their injury for hours or days after the collision.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by another driver’s negligence, contact Anderson & Cummings’ Fort Worth auto accident attorneys for a free, no obligation consultation. We are dedicated to defending our clients’ claims and will help you pursue maximum compensation for your claim.
However, you should always seek medical treatment immediately after an auto accident. A doctor will provide you the treatment you need and may diagnose delayed injuries, such as:
Soft Tissue Damage
Soft tissue damage occurs when your muscles, tendons or ligaments are damaged due to external trauma. This may result in injuries such as whiplash, bruising, sprains and strained muscles.
The symptoms of soft tissue damage typically appear within a few days after an auto accident, and may include:
- Inflammation
- Stiffness in the affected area
- Skin discoloration in the affected area
- Sensitivity to stress and weight in the affected area
Concussion
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that results from a blow to the head during a collision, causing your brain to hit the inside of your skull. Typically, concussion victims suffer a range of physical and cognitive symptoms that may cause temporary or permanent impairment.
Some common symptoms of a concussion include:
- Disorientation
- Loss of equilibrium
- Headache
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Diminished responsiveness
- Light and sound sensitivity
- Noticeable disturbances to eating or sleeping patterns
It may not always be immediately apparent when a car accident victim suffers a concussion. Some of the symptoms victims experience may be subtle or mistaken for another condition. This can lead to a delayed or misdiagnosis of the victim’s injury.
Back Injuries
Back injuries often range in severity and may cause you to suffer temporary or permanent impairment. This may include injuries such as sprains, strains, fractures and spinal cord injuries.
Often, auto accident victims suffer a back injury during rear-end or side-impact collisions. However, these injuries are often masked due to the adrenaline rush many auto accident victims experience after the collision. This may delay several symptoms of a back injury, including:
- Pain in the neck, shoulders or back
- Bruising
- Numbness
- Reduced range of motion
- Weakness in the impacted area
- Difficulty breathing
- Difficulty balancing
Neck Pain
Neck pain after a car accident is commonly a sign of whiplash, a soft tissue injury that occurs when your head and neck are thrust forward and suddenly snapped back into place. This causes the joints and nerves in your neck and back muscles to overextend.
Typically, the symptoms of whiplash and other neck injuries may appear several hours or a few days after an auto accident. Often, minor neck injuries can heal in about one month, while severe neck injuries may require medical treatment or physical therapy to heal.
There are several symptoms that may indicate a neck injury, such as:
- Pain in your upper back, neck and shoulders
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
- Blurred vision
- Sleep disturbances
Emotional or Mental Distress
A severe car accident can be a traumatizing event that causes victims to experience emotional or mental distress following the collision. This distress can have severe impacts on the victim’s life, resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or other psychological conditions.
Unfortunately, the signs and symptoms of emotional or mental distress are not always apparent in a car accident victim. Many people downplay or ignore emotional distress and may refuse to seek treatment for their condition.
For this reason, it is imperative for car accident victims to seek medical care if they experience the following psychological symptoms after a car accident:
- Anxiety
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Reckless behavior
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Unnatural fear or uneasiness while riding in a car
- Changes in eating and sleeping habits
- Flashbacks and nightmares about the accident
Contact Our Attorneys Now
If you are involved in a car accident, it is imperative that you seek medical attention as soon as possible to diagnose any delayed injuries you may suffer. Then you should consider contacting an experienced attorney for help with your claim.
Anderson & Cummings’ Fort Worth personal injury lawyers understand the difficulties you may face after an auto accident. We have helped numerous accident victims obtain the compensation they deserved, and will dedicate our skills and resources to defending your rights.
Contact us today to schedule a free, no obligation consultation to find out if you have a case against the at-fault driver involved in your accident. We charge no upfront fees for representing your claim and only require payment if we obtain compensation on your behalf.
Call (817) 920-9000 or fill out our Free Case Evaluation form today.