When you’re involved in a car crash, one of the things you have to watch out for is delayed-onset injuries. Delayed-onset injuries are injuries that you may not have symptoms of right away. They may develop over time.
There are many kinds of delayed-onset injuries that will produce symptoms such as:
- Abdominal pain and swelling
- Post-traumatic stress
- Numbness
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Headaches
Many times, these symptoms represent problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), whiplash or internal bruising or bleeding. In some serious cases, headaches could be a result of blood clots that have traveled to the brain. Similarly, broken bones and concussions may not affect you immediately, but over time, pain and dysfunction sets in.
What should you do if you’re involved in a crash?
Even though you may feel fine, it’s always the right choice to go to the hospital and have a medical exam. Your medical provider may notice symptoms or signs of injury that you didn’t. They may be able to give you medications or treatment options to prevent further pain and dysfunction from developing or help prevent the condition from worsening.
Although it can take a little time to go to the hospital and have an examination, it’s worth the trouble. However, if you don’t go right away, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go later. Delayed-onset injuries may develop within the next few days, so seek medical care whenever they do. You can keep the medical documents from your visit and use them to submit your claim for compensation from the at-fault driver. Our website has more on the steps you can take next.
