People who are injured in motor vehicle accidents each year in California and around the country sometimes do not realize how badly they were hurt until days or even weeks have passed. The human body is extremely complex, and it is subjected to potentially serious injuries in even minor traffic collisions. This can cause debilitating neck, back and brain injuries, but they do not always present symptoms right away. This is why you should visit an emergency room or doctor’s office after a car crash even if you feel fine.
Whiplash and back injuries
Whiplash occurs when the head moves backward and forward very rapidly, and it is a car accident injury that goes unreported and undiagnosed most often. Whiplash injuries can make simple head movements extremely painful, and this discomfort can linger on for weeks if the condition remains untreated. Back injuries can also develop slowly, and the first symptoms are often stiffness, numbness, and swelling. These symptoms usually respond well to stretching, rest, and physical therapy, but surgery may be required if treatment is delayed.
Concussions and soft tissue injuries
The forces that cause whiplash can also cause concussions. This kind of traumatic brain injury occurs when the head moves quickly and stops suddenly, which causes the brain to strike the inside of the skull. Concussions are extremely dangerous, so timely treatment is crucial. Injuries to the soft tissue surrounding the shoulders, elbows, wrists, knees and ankles are less serious, but they sometimes take weeks to develop. When this happens, motor vehicle accident victims may not even associate their pain and stiffness with the crashes that injured them because so much time has passed.
Timely treatment and car accident lawsuits
The severity of car accident injuries is not always noticeable right away, which is why so many of them go unreported. Whiplash, concussions and back injuries can become extremely serious if they are not treated in a timely manner, so you should seek medical treatment after a traffic accident even if you appear to have escaped unharmed. Visiting an emergency room could also help you if you decide to file a lawsuit. This is because prompt treatment provides evidence, and it also makes it difficult for defendants to claim that accidents and injuries are unrelated. You might also want to get in touch with the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Law Office of Aman. N. Shah to discuss your legal options.