After a serious car accident, you may be transported to the hospital by ambulance and treated in the ER or even ICU. However, many “minor” car crashes can still result in severe injuries that aren’t always obvious right away. It is important to be cognizant of changes in how you feel even a day or more after a crash and to seek medical attention for those changes to avoid the injury becoming more serious.

At Wofsey Rosen, our personal injury lawyers are committed to educating our community about potential risks and how to avoid them. While we stand ready to protect your rights after a collision, we offer these recommendations to help you reduce your risk of serious injury.

Common Delayed Symptoms You Should Watch For

Fender benders or low-speed accidents may only cause minor damage to your vehicle, and you may feel you are OK when you go home. It’s wise to let paramedics evaluate you at the crash scene or visit your doctor shortly afterward to be sure nothing is amiss. If you think you’re unhurt, you should still keep an eye out for these delayed symptoms:

• Blurry vision
• Changes in your gait
• Communication difficulties while speaking, listening, or reading
• Confusion or forgetfulness
• Difficulty walking or maintaining your balance
• Headache
• Loss of hearing
• Low blood pressure or fainting
• Muscle weakness, especially on one side of your body
• Nausea with or without vomiting
• Numbness or tingling anywhere in your body
• Pain in your chest or abdomen
• Sleepiness or difficulty waking up
• Soreness or pain in your neck, back, or joints
• Sudden changes in your temperament or personality

Many of these can indicate that you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or internal bleeding. You may have whiplash, herniated discs, or muscle sprains in your neck or back that are not immediately painful but which cause progressively worse pain over days and weeks and can lead to long-term effects on your mobility. In the event you have any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor or go to the hospital immediately.

Motor Vehicle Crash Injuries Lead to Millions of ER Visits Annually

According to the most recent information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), motor vehicle crashes account for nearly 4 million ER visits every year in the U.S. Approximately 90% of those patients are sent home afterward with care recommendations, which may include prescriptions for pain medication. However, many of those individuals may have delayed symptoms that show up in the days and weeks after the crash, indicating injuries that could become serious.

Reasons You Might Not Notice Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident

For a variety of reasons, it’s easy for some people to overlook injuries after a crash. Even a medical professional might miss a smaller injury while treating something more severe. Here are some common reasons you might feel fine after a motor vehicle crash:

• You have a high pain tolerance.
• You’re taking pain medications regularly or are prescribed high-powered drugs to manage pain from a more serious injury.
• You already have chronic pain on a daily basis and don’t notice new discomforts right away.
• You’re in a rush and want to leave the accident right away.
• Your system is full of adrenaline that causes you to feel fine.
• You don’t want to be examined by paramedics for privacy reasons.
• You ignore pain or other indicators because you’re worried about paying for full medical care.
• You have a pre-existing condition such as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, and your symptoms are masked by your hypermobility.

Sometimes, victims may not notice their symptoms, but their friends or family members do. It’s important to carefully monitor yourself after a crash and listen to input from others who may see what you don’t.

Get Help Immediately if You Suspect Injuries After a Motor Vehicle Crash

As soon as you notice delayed symptoms that could indicate injuries after a car accident, seek medical attention right away. If you seek medical attention and it turns out you are “fine” all it cost is a little time and a copay. However, waiting could allow the injury to worsen, putting you in danger of catastrophic medical conditions. Internal bleeding, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and organ damage can quickly lead to permanent disablement or death.

If you believe someone else was at fault for your automobile crash and resulting injuries, you need aggressive legal representation to hold them accountable and secure the compensation you need and deserve. At Wofsey Rosen, we offer over 100 years of combined experience negotiating satisfactory insurance settlements and litigating personal injury lawsuits. We work on a contingency fee basis and offer free initial consultations, meaning it does not cost you anything to get started.

You do not have to go through this alone. We can connect you with medical experts to fully diagnose and treat your injuries, as well as develop a powerful case against the liable parties. Contact us to schedule a meeting with a qualified car accident attorney today and learn how we can help you with your case.