Atlanta car accident lawyers consistently encounter delayed accident injuries. This is because car accidents have varied consequences. They include injuries, property damage, and other losses. Sometimes accident victims notice wounds such as burns, broken bones, and scratches. These are clear pointers that they’ve sustained some injuries.
However, sometimes crash survivors seem to walk away completely unharmed. For example, they may have no physical injuries. Furthermore, it could be that they aren’t experiencing any pain or injury symptoms. The body reacts differently to injuries, though.
So, you may just have delayed injuries. If you survive a collision without apparent wounds, it’ll be best to seek medical attention still. Then, hire a Maryland car accident lawyer to get you the maximum compensation.
What Are Delayed Accident Injuries?
Delayed car accident injuries are wounds with symptoms that aren’t immediately diagnosed and treated. That is, the medical examination of the accident victim didn’t expose such injuries. Therefore, hours, days, or even weeks may pass before the injuries are noticed.
Only then can the doctor diagnose, document, and treat the wounds. Unfortunately, delayed injuries can complicate compensation recovery. This is because the insurance company can claim the injuries weren’t from the accident.
Why Do Injuries Show Up Late?
Several factors are responsible for delayed accident injuries. Firstly, human bodies release large amounts of adrenaline and endorphins during collisions. These hormonal rushes can hide feelings of pain in the body. Endorphins can act as pain relievers. But, if you can’t feel pain, you cannot recognize some bodily injuries.
Furthermore, doctors sometimes focus on treating apparent injuries. They can ask questions about your physical injuries and make a diagnosis. In addition, such a doctor may not ask any follow-up questions to identify hidden wounds. This would be worse if you were sent to hospital emergency rooms.
Common Car Accident Delayed Injuries
Some collision wounds often show up late. We explain some of them below.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a neck injury prevalent among car crash survivors. Notably, it’s more common with rear-end accidents. It occurs when a person’s head forcefully jerks forward and backward. Consequently, the neck’s soft tissues stretch beyond their usual range.
However, whiplash injuries aren’t always immediately apparent. So, you have to pay attention to these signs and symptoms:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Constant tiredness
- Headaches close to your skull’s base
- Ringing in the ears
- Chronic neck, shoulder, back, or head pain
Doctors can conduct physical tests to check for whiplash. Here, they’ll be looking for tenderness around the neck. They can also use CT scans and imaging techniques.
Concussion
A concussion is a mild brain injury that momentarily affects brain functioning. Concussions can occur from an accident impact that shakes your head and brain. Notably, signs of a concussion are also subtle and delayed. When the symptoms show, they can last for days, weeks, or longer. Some of these symptoms include:
- Headache
- Ringing in the ears
- Fatigue and dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion
- Selective amnesia, especially about the accident
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Delayed response to questions
- Forgetfulness
If you have a head injury after an accident, it’ll be best to see a physician. Don’t wait to experience loss of consciousness before getting treatment.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue accident injuries are damages to the body’s soft tissues. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments are usually the affected body tissues. Some examples of soft tissue injuries include:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Contusions (bruises)
- Tendinitis
Furthermore, these accident injuries can lead to pain, swelling, bruising, and loss of function. Fortunately, there are also signs of soft tissue wounds. They include:
- Discoloration of the injured area
- Difficulty carrying your body’s weight
- Stiffness
- Inflammation
Emotional Injuries
Finally, emotional injuries also rarely show up early. This is because you usually can never feel them physically. Instead, it’s often the physical experience that causes emotional hurt. Emotional wounds here would include psychological trauma too. Fortunately, Georgia allows damages for emotional distress and pain and suffering.
However, the law applies the impact rule. This principle stipulates that you cannot claim emotional distress without a physical injury. So, if you’re suffering any emotional or psychological side effects from an accident, it’ll be best to see an expert for a proper diagnosis.
Atlanta Car Accident Lawyers Work With Delayed Injury Victims
Have you escaped an Atlanta car accident? If you have, then you may be eligible for compensation. It’s immaterial that your injuries showed late. You can still recover the maximum damages. All you need is an excellent Atlanta car accident lawyer. Luckily, The Weinstein Firm can provide these attorneys. Our lawyers have years of experience winning complex accident claims. So, it’ll be best to call us today for a FREE consultation.
