A question that arises during the process of filing a personal injury claim is what happens when your injuries caused by a car accident show up later on. This article will discuss injuries that often show up later after a car accident.
It can be agreed that the majority of car accidents are categorized as traumatic events, as a result, what may seem like a minor injury may actually be an extensive injury or may fail to show up immediately. Even some Wasilla accident victims may have injuries that show up later during the personal injury claim proceedings. Some common types of injuries that take time to manifest include:
- Concussions – according to the Mayo Clinic[Concussion – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic] a concussion is a “traumatic brain injury that affects your brain function”. The violent jerking and force that is exerted during a car accident can result in your brain hitting the inside of your skull, your head getting into something (e.g., the steering wheel) or jolting your body violently; all these actions could result in an individual sustaining a concussion. While concussions are serious, the majority of the symptoms do not manifest immediately. Obvious symptoms of a concussion include losing consciousness or being disorientated, however, some subtle symptoms that may not manifest themselves immediately include:
- clouded thinking
- failing to concentrate
- having difficulty remembering information that is new
- suffering from headaches
- blurred vision
- dizziness
- nausea
- change in one’s sleeping patterns often abnormal
- lack of energy
If you experience any of these signs after an accident seek immediate medical attention.
- Soft tissue injuries – generally soft tissue injuries refer to injuries that are sustained on body parts other than bone. For example, muscles, ligaments and tendons are said to be soft tissue. During a car accident a lot of force is generated, this is due to slamming on the brakes, hitting into something and causing a sudden stop; all these put stress on the body’s joints and other vulnerable areas. Soft tissue injuries generally cause swelling, pain or low range of motion; however, these symptoms do not manifest themselves immediately. Such symptoms may take days or weeks to show themselves; further, injuries to soft tissue cannot be seen on an x-ray which makes them hard to document as well as diagnose. Whiplash is a common types of soft tissue injuries. This is the result of violent jerking of the body and head causing injury to neck muscles. Associated symptoms may be swelling, pain in the neck and a lowered range of motion of the head and neck.
- Back pain and injury – the spine is a complicated system made up of bones, soft tissue, nerves and muscle. It is along this system that the brain has direct communication with the rest of the body. Unfortunately, its placement on the body makes it exposed especially in respect of a car accident. The results: even a minor accident can lead to back injury. The initial symptom of a back injury is pain, however, other symptoms that may surface later include:
- headaches
- numbness and tingling in limbs, hands and feet
- muscle spasms and weakness
