More than two million people are injured or become disabled in car accidents annually in the United States. In many of these accidents, injuries are immediately apparent. But in tens of thousands of annual car accidents, victims don’t exhibit symptoms of their injuries for days, weeks, or even months. If you have been involved in an accident, it’s crucial that you seek medical attention immediately. A medical evaluation can help to determine whether initially-asymptomatic injuries could be hiding under the surface.
Delayed Symptoms May be Warning Signs
The list of injuries that may not initially present symptoms could go on forever. However, there are certain injuries that more commonly fall into this category. In most cases, mild symptoms will precede more serious ones. If days, weeks, or months following a car accident you experience any of the symptoms below (even if mild), it is in your best interest to contact your healthcare provider for a medical evaluation. A Boston injury attorney can help you recover damages if you’ve been injured due to another’s negligence.
- Headaches: A headache that develops a few days or weeks after a motor vehicle crash could be an indicator of bigger problems. A headache can be a warning sign of a concussion, neck injury, or a blood clot. While it’s certainly possible that you “just have a headache,” following an accident, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
- Back pain: Any type of back pain, from mild to severe, can indicate an injury to the muscles and ligaments in your back. You may have even suffered nerve damage or injury to your vertebrae. A simple x-ray is usually sufficient to diagnose back injuries, but you may require a more sophisticated test, such as an MRI or CT scan.
- Pain or bloating in the abdomen: These symptoms may indicate internal injuries, and may be accompanied by dizziness and fainting. As these symptoms may also serve as warning signs that you are bleeding internally, it is crucial that you seek immediate medical attention. Internal injuries and bleeding can be fatal if left untreated.
- Personality of emotional changes: If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury (TBI), symptoms may not be immediately apparent. If days or weeks following a car crash you find yourself feeling “out of sorts,” you may want to seek medical attention. A health evaluation can generally identify the presence of a TBI. A MA injury lawyer can help you determine how to proceed if you’ve suffered a TBI in a car accident.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Following a serious car accident, you may experience PTSD. Many people have immediate symptoms of PTSD, but fail to recognize them. The good news is, early treatment generally produces excellent results. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a type of counseling that works well with patients who suffer from PTSD. Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is another option. There is also a type of therapy known as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) that is being used more frequently to treat And certain medications, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), are known to be quite effective.
Altman & Altman, LLP – Top Personal Injury Law Firm in MA
If you have been injured due to another’s negligence, the skilled legal team at Altman & Altman, LLP can help. We have been protecting the rights of accident and injury victims for more than 50 years, and we have an impressive track record of obtaining compensation for our clients. If you have been harmed, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages. We will thoroughly review your case and position you for the most favorable outcome. If you’ve been injured, we can help. Contact Altman & Altman, LLP today for a free and confidential consultation about your case.