Delayed Symptoms to Watch for After an Automobile Accident

Car accidents cause serious damage and trauma to your body. It can all happen in just a few seconds. Even if you leave the scene seemingly unscathed, you could have lingering harm you do not know about yet. Some injuries may not show symptoms for days, weeks or even months after the car accident.

There are several medical reasons why you may not notice an injury immediately. The first is that hormones such as adrenaline can temporarily reduce or eliminate pain and increase your strength after a traumatic accident. The second is that your body needs time to process injuries, such as strained or torn ligaments. Third, due in part to nerve damage, some injuries and their symptoms simply do not become evident right away.

You should be on the lookout for the following delayed symptoms after an automobile accident, which could be signs of serious injuries:

• Headaches — After an accident, headaches are common, but they could be signs of concussions, brain bleeds or nerve damage if they persist long afterward.
• Pain, swelling and numbness — You may notice soreness and inflammation in your back, abdomen, limbs or extremities for several days or more. Depending on the location, these symptoms could signal muscle, tissue or organ damage.
• Dizziness or disorientation — If you are dizzy or confused for weeks after an accident, this could be a sign of a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or nerve damage in the neck.
• Whiplash — Among the most common injuries from car accidents is whiplash, the stretching and tearing of neck muscles due to sudden back and forth movement. Neck pain and related whiplash symptoms can take days or weeks to appear, even if you felt fine immediately after the accident.
• Post-traumatic stress — Being in a severe car accident may cause you to experience nightmares, sudden flashbacks and other forms of emotional and psychological trauma that can persist well after the car accident itself.

These and any other delayed symptoms you notice after the accident should be diagnosed by a medical professional. See your doctor and follow the regimen of testing that he or she directs should be done.

After speaking with your doctor and going through diagnosis and testing, you should consult with an auto accident attorney about your possible legal remedies. Your medical costs, pain and suffering and related expenses could be compensable in a personal injury lawsuit against another driver who was at fault for the accident.

If you have been hurt in a car accident in California, turn to Pulverman & Pulverman, LLP in Santa Barbara for legal advice. We have experience with cases of delayed symptoms that can mask serious or life-threatening injuries. Contact us online or call 805-962-0397 for a free consultation about your case.