car accident injuries

Signs of Delayed Injury From a Car Accident

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If you were involved in a car wreck, you may not feel any physical pain right away. This happens frequently – two vehicles collide with each other, and by the looks of the crash, you would think that there would be serious injuries. But instead, people are walking around afterward like nothing happened.

This is normal, and there’s a good reason why this happens – adrenaline.

The release of adrenaline is the first thing that happens to your body following a car crash. This is a hormone that is released when the body is under sudden stress. It prepares the human body to respond to flight or fight.

Adrenaline has the following effect on the human body:

  • Feeling less or no pain
  • Increased energy levels
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Heightened senses
  • Increased awareness
  • Feeling stronger and more stamina
  • Dilated pupils

Adrenaline can be helpful following a car crash. Correlating with this, it can also be deceptive since it masks the feeling of pain. You may not realize that you are injured because of the lack of pain. This makes it important to seek medical attention right after an accident. Injuries generally take a few days to present themselves. You may be too late to seek compensation for your injuries by the time you realize you are hurt. 

Along these same lines, never discuss your physical condition with the insurance company until you have been fully evaluated by a medical professional. An insurance adjuster may contact you shortly after an accident claim is filed, asking how you are doing. If you tell them, “I feel fine”, “everything seems to be okay”, or something similar and you find out later that you have injuries, it will be much more difficult to convince the insurer that your injuries are connected to the accident.

Delayed Injury Symptoms after a Car Accident

For those who have been in a car crash, there are some common symptoms that might start to show up several days after. These include:

Headaches

Headaches are one of the most frequent symptoms people have in the days following an auto accident. Sometimes, these are just minor annoyances that will go away within a couple of weeks or so. However, headaches can also be a sign of a delayed injury from the accident, and possibly one that is severe. Examples include head and neck injuries, blood clots on the brain, or even a serious concussion or another type of traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Even if the victim’s head did not receive a direct blow during a car wreck, they could still suffer from concussions. For instance, changes in the motion of the vehicle can cause the victim’s neck and head to jerk and force their brain to be thrashed within the skull, resulting in damage to the victim’s brain without their head suffering injuries. There are varied symptoms of concussions, including:

  • Loss of equilibrium
  • Disorientation
  • Mood swings
  • Irritation
  • Headaches
  • Reduced responsiveness
  • Apparent changes in eating and sleeping patterns
  • Sensitivity to sound and bright light

The good news is that concussion victims can recover completely within just a few days, but there is still a possibility of long-term complications occurring later on. Therefore, it is important to seek immediate medical attention to understand if you have suffered a concussion.

Stiffness in the Neck or Shoulders

Neck and/or shoulder pain or stiffness is usually a delayed sign of a whiplash injury. Whiplash injuries are common in auto accidents, especially to the lead driver or passenger in a rear-end collision, because they do not see the collision coming and have no time to brace for it. An X-ray, MRI, or CT scan may be required to properly diagnose a whiplash injury. Neck or shoulder pain can also be a sign of a spinal cord injury, which is more serious and requires immediate treatment. Whiplash can have a severe impact on the joints, nerves, and muscles of the victim, resulting in symptoms such as:

  • Severe pain in the upper back, neck, head, or shoulders
  • Headaches
  • Dizziness
  • Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)
  • Blurred vision
  • Sleep disturbances

The signs of whiplash are often delayed and usually appear around 12 hours to five days after a car accident. Minor whiplash injuries may heal within one month, but serious ones may take much longer to heal and can even lead to permanent damage. This condition can be addressed with physical therapy to stretch and exercise the neck.

Back Pain

Low back pain is reported in over half of all rear-end accidents and nearly three quarters of all side-impact collisions. Back pain can be a sign of a herniated disc, muscle, ligament, or nerve damage, or even damage to the vertebrae.

Abdominal Pain

Abdominal pain can be a sign of internal bleeding or other internal injuries. Internal injuries can go unnoticed for several hours or even several days, and this condition is often life-threatening, requiring immediate medical treatment.

Numbness

Numbness is another possible symptom of whiplash, particularly if you experience tingling or loss of feeling in your arms and hands. This results from injury or damage to the spinal column nerves.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries concern damage to any tendons, ligaments, or muscles in the body. Strains, sprains, and bruises are soft tissue injuries. Whiplash is a type of soft tissue injury as well.

Soft tissue injuries can manifest one day or up to one week after a crash. The symptoms typically include the following:

  • Swelling
  • Stiffness
  • Difficulty bearing weight
  • Discoloration of the affected site

Behavioral Changes

In addition to headaches mentioned earlier, changes in behavior, personality, or physical functionality can also be signs of a traumatic brain injury. Possible symptoms of TBI include memory problems, difficulty with focus and concentration, vision or hearing loss, unusual behaviors, and depression.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

PTSD is a condition that occurs after a traumatic event or series of events. Symptoms may include recurring nightmares and vivid and disturbing flashbacks and memories of the event. Children are particularly susceptible to PTSD after a serious car accident.

Suffered Delayed Injury from a Car Crash in Mississippi? Call the Gardner Law Firm Today for a Free Case Assessment

Auto accidents can result in moderate to severe and even catastrophic injuries; and many times, these injuries go undetected for a while after the accident. If you have been involved in a car accident, get medical attention right away, then get in contact with an experienced accident injury lawyer.

For several decades, the Gardner law firm has successfully represented clients injured in all types of car accidents in Biloxi, Gulfport, Ocean Springs, and communities throughout Mississippi. We provide free consultations, and if we take your case, you will not pay any attorney fees unless we recover compensation on your behalf. To schedule your free consultation, call our office today at (228) 900-9618 or message us through our web contact form.