Many people suffer injuries in car accidents and are diagnosed and treated shortly after. However, some people only realize they have injuries much later, which can complicate matters because they may wonder if the injuries are related to the car accident or not.
If the injury that manifests much later is something the person has never experienced before, it is probably a good idea to discuss it with your doctor and get care as soon as possible because it may be a latent injury.
Examples of these latent injuries include:
Whiplash
Most people think whiplash can only occur during an accident because of the force that generates the movement of the neck. However, many times people do not appear to have whiplash because adrenaline masks the pain that comes with this injury, and they have symptoms later.
Some of these symptoms include stiffness of the neck, headaches and generalized pain in the neck and shoulder area.
If you have any of these symptoms or any other, make sure your doctor sees you as soon as you can. These symptoms can get worse if you do not do something about them, and they can lead to more severe and sometimes permanent conditions.
Concussions
Even though some concussions are evident right away, that is not always the case. A person involved in a car accident can develop symptoms later, including confusion, dizziness and memory issues, all which could be related to a concussion.
These symptoms may begin as mild pain and get worse over time. It is important to have a medical professional look at it promptly to diagnose and treat it if necessary.
Herniated discs
The spine can suffer injuries that are not immediately evident. It might take some time for inflammation to develop around the affected area, and pain can begin later.
The person who was in the accident may wonder if it is related to the car accident or something else, but it is common for spinal injuries to develop quietly and then get worse over time.
Psychological problems
Psychological injuries, including PTSD, anxiety, depression and loss of affect, are all conditions that can develop after a car accident.
Sometimes it takes time because the brain is adjusting, but many times, unfortunately, the brain does not go back to how it was and conditions develop that cause a person to feel depressed, anxious, paranoid or panicky.
If you survive a car accident, firstly, it is a great thing that you survived. However, you could have sustained injuries that can develop or symptoms of injuries that manifest much later in time.
Keep an eye out for any pain, discomfort or unusual bodily symptoms, and make sure you discuss them with your doctor and your attorney, who can help you if you are eligible for compensation.
Remember that if you are eligible for compensation, you will get the most compensation if you have an attorney who can advocate on your behalf.