You may have been scared or confused in the moments after your car crash, but you didn't feel physical pain. The paramedics came, and you may have refused treatment because you felt okay. Unfortunately, you could still be hurt.
Types of Delayed Car Accident Injuries
Delayed car accident injuries can include:
Bruising and internal bleeding
You may not see any kind of bruising on the outside of your body, but you could be suffering from internal bleeding in a major organ such as the liver or spleen. This type of injury is often difficult to detect without an MRI or other medical scan.
Neck, back, and joint pain
Whiplash is one of the most common delayed car accident injuries due to its ability to cause soft tissue damage that might not show up right away. In addition, chronic neck and back pain could indicate spinal cord damage that wasn't apparent at first. Joints can also be affected by delayed car accident injuries, causing lasting stiffness and weakness.
Nerve damage
If you feel tingling, numbness, or weakness in your arms and legs after a car accident, you might suffer from nerve damage that wasn't immediately apparent. This type of injury can be challenging to diagnose because its symptoms may not appear until weeks or months after the initial crash.
Concussion
The force of the accident can cause your brain to hit your skull and result in a traumatic brain injury. If you experience headaches, vision changes, difficulty concentrating, trouble balancing, or any other unusual symptoms, it's important to see a doctor as soon as possible.
Blood clots
Blunt force trauma can result in blood clots. Blood clots that break loose and travel to your lungs or brain can be fatal. Accordingly, it's essential to have them diagnosed and treated.
It's important to remember that any car accident may result in delayed injuries, so it's best to get checked out by a doctor as soon as possible after the incident. Early detection and treatment can help you fully recover with minimal long-term effects.
You Can Recover Damages After a Delayed Car Accident Injury
You have the right to recover compensation after a delayed car accident injury. However, as with any car accident injury, you need to prove that the car crash caused your injury. A delay in symptoms and treatment could make it harder to prove the connection between your symptoms and the crash. However, an experienced Kansas City car accident attorney can use your medical record and other evidence to make the connection so that you make a fair recovery.
If you've been hurt, we encourage you to contact our legal team as soon as possible so that we can evaluate your case and, if appropriate, pursue compensation for past, current, and future:
Medical expenses
You can recover compensation for your health care expenses related to the car accident. This includes hospital bills, doctor visits, physical therapy, and any other costs associated with treating your injury.
Lost income
If you have been unable to work due to the effects of the delayed car accident injury, you may be eligible for lost wages, benefits, and income from self-employment. Your attorney can help you document your missed hours or weeks so that you will receive full reimbursement for all of your lost income.
Pain and suffering
In addition to economic damages, you may also be able to recover damages for pain and suffering caused by the delayed car accident injury. Proving pain and suffering is sometimes difficult, but an experienced attorney can help you document your distress and pursue the appropriate compensation.
Together, these damages can make a significant difference in your recovery.
