Not every car accident, results in victims leaving the scene in an ambulance ride to the hospital. But, if you or a loved one gets into a car accident and are able to safely drive home, this doesn’t necessarily mean you are injury free.
To preserve your physical and mental health, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as you can after a car accident. Not only do doctors now the signs and symptoms of typical car crash injuries, but they can also help in detecting injuries that might not settle in until days or weeks later. For your own awareness, below are three common injuries — whiplash, concussion and post-traumatic stress disorder — that might not be evident immediately after a crash.
Whiplash
Whiplash often happens to victims of a rear-end collisions, as it is the result of a quick back-and-forth movement of the neck. This soft tissue injury often involves pain in the neck, back and head. Since it can take a few days for whiplash symptoms to set in, it can be easy to write off this kind of pain as general soreness and ignore it. But, seeing a doctor right away and making follow up appointments is crucial, because untreated whiplash can turn into chronic pain.
Concussion
When you hear the word concussion you might think there is no way you’ve experienced a concussion if you didn’t pass out in the midst of the crash. But if you hit your head or your head shook in the accident, then there is a still a chance you might have had a concussion. According to Mayo Clinic’s website, concussion symptoms can include headaches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, ear ringing and blurry vision. And the sometimes symptoms can take a while to appear. Concussions and other brain injuries can also create long-term health issues, so taking note of early signs is key.
PTSD
A car crash is by all means a traumatic event. As such, victims of minor and severe crashes can develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Symptoms may develop shortly after the incident or not show up until years later. Signs can include recurring memories and flashbacks of the accident and avoiding activities that remind you of the crash, like driving. Early intervention is important to alleviate any symptoms you may experience.
Many of these common injuries require treatment from specialty doctors or therapists. So, the sooner you go through an initial medical checkup, the sooner you will be able to get the proper professional help you need to heal. And teaming up with an experienced personal injury attorney can help you manage accident-related medical bills that might stack up.