Car Accident Injuries Can Have “Silent Symptoms”

Even a minor car accident can cause serious injuries. The problem is that victims do not always realize they have been injured. Being involved in a crash can be stressful, causing a person’s adrenaline to kick in. The adrenaline can mask any symptoms of injuries. It isn’t until hours – sometimes days – later that symptoms of an injury begin to appear. This is why a car accident lawyer recommends always seeking medical attention immediately following any type of car crash, even if you don’t think you sustained injuries.

A thorough medical examination following a crash, either by your own physician or at the emergency room, will determine if you have sustained any injuries in the crash. Although some injuries are obvious, such as contusions or cuts, other injuries that may have “silent symptoms” include the following:

• Brain and head injuries: These are the most severe injuries and can cause the most long-term damage. Victims of brain injuries can suffer from long-term physical and emotional disabilities. An untreated brain injury can even result in the victim’s death.
• Fractured bones: There are different types of broken bones, but not all fractures are obvious. The quicker the bone can be properly set, the better the chances the bone will heal properly, however, it is not uncommon for surgery to be necessary to set the bone with pins. This means a second surgery will be necessary to remove the pins, as well as physical therapy once the bone is healed.
• Internal injuries: The jostling around in a crash, slamming into a steering wheel, force of an airbag, or strain of the seatbelt can cause internal injuries that can cause serious injuries if not diagnosed. These injuries include:
  • Broken ribs: broken ribs can puncture major blood vessels or a lung.
  • Collapsed lungs: Broken ribs can also cause the lungs to collapse.
  • Internal bleeding: If any blood vessels are damaged in a crash, there can be dangerous blood loss. If left untreated, these injuries can be fatal.
  • Organ injury: If an organ becomes damaged in a crash, it can stop working and shut down, putting the victim’s life at risk.
  • Ruptured spleen: Injury to the spleen is a common car accident injury. In many cases, it requires emergency surgery to remove the injured organ.
• Whiplash: A whiplash injury occurs when the head suddenly jerks forward and back or side to side from the force of the crash impact. This causes the ligaments of the neck to stretch and become strained. Many people are mistaken that whiplash is a minor injury, but whiplash can be dangerous if left untreated.

Contact a Car Accident Law Firm Today

If you have been injured by an at-fault driver, you deserve to be compensated for all the losses your injuries have caused, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. To ensure that compensation, you need a skilled attorney, like a car accident lawyer from a law firm like Tuttle Law, P.A.