A car accident lawyer knows that it is not uncommon for a victim of a vehicle accident to not realize that they have been injured in the crash. This often plays out in accidents which are considered minor ones, where the people involved do not exhibit any obvious symptoms, such as bleeding or limping, that would indicate an injury.
This is why anyone who has been injured in a crash should seek medical attention even if they do not believe they have been injured. A doctor can often recognize injuries that do not have apparent symptoms yet and begin treatment to avoid the injury getting worse.
Delayed symptoms and diagnosis of an injury can also pose an issue for a victim when it comes to pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the party who is responsible for the accident that caused the injury. The longer it takes to have an injury diagnosed after the crash, the more likely it is that the insurance company for the other party will challenge the victim’s claim that the injury happened in the crash.
Each car accident lawyer in Fredericksburg VA from our firm have handled many accident cases where the victim didn’t realize immediately after the crash that they were injured. Some of the more common delayed symptoms a victim may suffer include:
- Back pain: Any time a victim begins having back pain after a car accident, it could indicate that there may be a ligament, muscle, or nerve injury. It could also indicate that there has been damage done to the spine, such as a vertebra or disc. There are certain telltale signs that a back injury is more complicated than a simple strain or sprain of muscles or ligaments. One obvious sign is if there is shooting or radiating pain, tingling, or numbness into the arms, legs, fingers, or toes. That can be the sign that there is a much more serious injury or condition involved. Doctors will tell you that this can be the sign of a nerve or spinal cord impingement or pinch (such as myelopathy), and that could be a very serious condition unless treated immediately.
- Change in personality or physical capability: If a person exhibits any changes in personality or abilities, such as impaired movement, memory, hearing or vision issues, or any strong personality changes, this could be a sign of some type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs can manifest in a number of different ways. Emergency first responders and emergency room personnel will check for TBI-related symptoms, such as loss of consciousness, amnesia either before or after the event that caused the injury, or any alteration of consciousness. Alteration of consciousness can be seen in a number of different ways, such as confusion, word finding difficulty, memory lapses, headaches, vision problems, or many other issues.
- Headaches: There are several reasons why a victim may begin to have headaches after a crash, and some of those could be because of stress, heightened anxiety, or just the challenges of being involved in a crash. However, headaches can indicate a potentially fatal condition, such as a blood clot. They can also signal a traumatic brain injury.
- Numbness: If a crash victim experiences any numbness in their hands or arms, they should immediately get medical help since this could mean there has been an injury to the spinal cord or neck. As stated above regarding back pain, there could be shooting or radiating symptoms into the hands, feet, arms, and legs. Seek medical attention if that occurs.
- Pain or swelling in the abdominal area: If the pain or swelling is also accompanied with dizziness, fainting, nausea, and dark purple bruising, this is a strong indicator that the victim could be suffering from internal bleeding. This type of injury can be fatal if it is not treated immediately. Go to the emergency room at the hospital and they will likely order tests, including CT scans to look for internal injuries.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological and emotional harms: Victims do not only suffer physical injuries but can also suffer from emotional injuries from a crash, as well. One of the most common, especially in a bad crash, is PTSD. Flashbacks and recurring memories of the crash can interfere in the victim’s ability to function in their daily life. Children are particularly susceptible to PTSD. Even if the emotional injuries do not rise to the level of PTSD, we have seen many clients suffer from increased anxiety and depression following a crash. This can be particularly problematic if the client had previously received treatment for these conditions, or if they had struggled in various ways with these things.
- Whiplash: This type of injury is most common in rear-end crashes, even in crashes where the vehicles were traveling less than 15 mph. The snapping back and forth of the neck and head when the impact occurs can cause the ligaments and muscles to become injured. Whiplash injuries are often quite painful for the victim and require extensive physical therapy for healing. Telltale signs of a whiplash can include painful muscle spasms. These can also result in traumatic brain injuries when the crash causes what is known as a coup-contrecoup effect. That occurs when the brain moves rapidly back and forth in the brain, causing the soft brain tissue to smash into the bony ridges of the skull.
- Broken bones and other orthopedic injuries. Broken bones are unfortunately common in serious motor vehicle collisions. We have handled cases where clients have suffered a variety of broken bones, including shattered femurs, tibias, fibulas, skulls, wrists, elbows, vertebrae, and other fractures of various types. Other orthopedic injuries can also result from the forces of a crash, and these can include TMJ, rotator cuff injuries, LeFort facial fractures, and numerous other injuries that require surgery to treat.
We have unfortunately been doing this work long enough where we have seen virtually every kind of injury that can result from an automobile accident. We can help you as you seek to rebuild your life.
If you have suffered injuries in a crash, consider contacting a Fredericksburg VA car accident lawyer from MartinWren, P.C. today to set up free case evaluation.
Call 434-817-3100 or complete a Case Evaluation form
