Victims of car accidents tend to suffer a number of different types of injuries. While some of these injuries have fairly visible symptoms, there are others that are not apparent right away. Symptoms for these injuries may sneak up on victims days or even weeks after the auto accident. In the aftermath of a car accident, some victims may not have an injury with external bleeding or even be visibly injured. This is why you should to get medical attention even if you “feel alright.” Not only does getting prompt medical attention help document the nature and extent of any injuries you might have, but it also helps put you on the road to recovery.
Injuries That May Not Be Apparent Right Away
Here are five of the most common injuries that are not readily apparent or exhibit symptoms right away:
1. Whiplash: It is a well-known fact that neck and back injuries are extremely common in car accidents. These types of injuries are known as “whiplash” because they are caused by the whipping motion of the head and neck during a crash. Sometimes, the force of a collision causes the tissue between the spinal vertebrae to rupture. This is known as a “herniated disk.” Whiplash causes a tremendous amount of pain and requires treatment and rehabilitative therapy to heal. The symptoms of whiplash often don’t occur right away. They develop weeks or months after the accident. Whiplash may require surgery and sometimes, may result in long-term disability and chronic pain for patients.
2. Head injury: Brain injuries are among the most common in a car accident. The symptoms of brain trauma are not often obvious. This is particularly true if victims have suffered concussions. Research has shown that concussions when not treated may have serious consequences. Any type of symptom such as memory loss or personality change after a head injury should be taken seriously. If you have suffered an impact to your head in a car accident, it is best to pay your doctor a visit right away.
3. Knee injury: During a collision, vehicle occupants are thrown forward and will often hit their knee on the dashboard. This may result in a number of injuries including a broken kneecap, damage to cartilage in the knee or damage to the connective tissue. These can be painful injuries that might require surgery and rehabilitation. The severity of these injuries, once again, may not be apparent right away.
4. Internal injuries: In a car accident, blunt-force trauma may result in damage to internal organs such as the heart, kidneys, lungs, spleen, etc. This may result in internal bleeding, which again, might not be apparent soon after a car accident. If you are experiencing any kind of pain after a car accident or even if you are not experiencing pain, it is a good idea to get medically checked out and be sure that you have not suffered any internal injuries.
5. Psychological injuries: Many people aren’t even aware that a traumatic event may affect an individual’s psyche as much it affects them physically. People who are involved in serious car accidents may develop phobias such as a fear of driving or even traveling in a car. Some suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. If these psychological issues are not treated right away, they may get worse with time.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
If you or a loved one has been injured by a distracted driver, or if you have lost a loved one in an auto accident caused by a negligent driver, the experienced New York personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 46 years, our skilled accident attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims get fair compensation for their losses. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury and medical malpractice cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
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