Car accident injuries are by no means all the same, and they don’t always show up immediately after the crash.
This is an important fact to remember if you’ve been in an accident, both for your health and the way you deal with the situation legally. We’re going to explore the idea of late appearing car accident injuries in this article, giving you some insight into how to proceed and get the compensation you deserve.
Let’s get started:
How to Handle Late Appearing Car Accident Injuries
We’ll discuss the types of injuries you could be experiencing, how to look for them, and the ways in which you should proceed medically. first, though, we have to talk about liability and how to handle it when your injuries appear after the accident.
Release of Liability
If you have any doubt at all concerning the idea that you sustained any injuries from the accident, it’s crucial that you don’t sign a release of liability until everything is settled.
When you release the other party from liability, your lawsuit is ended and any claims that you’d make in the future are taken off of the table. In other words, you’re saying that you’re satisfied with the process and are ready to move forward.
This can come back to bite you if you have late-appearing injuries. That means that even though you aren’t to blame for whatever injuries you’ve sustained, the financial responsibility falls upon you because the other party isn’t held liable anymore.
Further, injuries that appear late are often the most insidious. They often deal with damage to the spine and nervous system, requiring physical therapy, chiropractic care, and sometimes surgery.
If You’re Ready to Sign a Release
You may feel as though you’re ready to sign a release of liability and move forward with your life.
Maybe enough time has passed that you feel confident about your injuries and don’t feel that they’ll resurface, or surface at all. Even if you feel this way, it is a smart decision to have a medical evaluation.
A medical evaluation after a car accident gives a doctor the chance to look at the condition of your brain, neck, shoulders, back, and spine. That way, you can have a very clear idea of what the damages are if there are any, and you’ll be able to move forward confidently if there’s no sign of damages.
Having an evaluation also helps greatly in settlements and compensation for your pain and suffering.
Common Physical Injuries
While any number of injuries could befall someone who’s experienced a car accident, there are a few that come up time after time.
We’ll list a few of the most common below so that you can know what to look out for.
Head and Mental Pain
It’s not uncommon for car accidents to cause trauma or pain to the head.
If you have a headache immediately after the accident or the days following, be sure to take that seriously. You could have experienced enough force to cause a concussion or even brain damage.
These issues can lead to other, more serious life-altering ailments. Any headache related to the accident should be examined by a doctor. Further, you might be experiencing headaches as a result of the stress of the situation.
Dealing with the financial and legal matters that come after a car accident can be very stressful for anyone. Additionally, you may have had a traumatizing experience in the crash, which is also something that requires medical attention.
PTSD is a common side-effect of car accidents, and it can lead to severe headaches, not to mention emotional pain.
Soft Tissue Pain
Whiplash is another common side-effect of car accidents. Whiplash is a term that refers generally to the pain caused by the distinct jerking that happens in the moments of a crash.
This can wreak havoc upon the soft tissue in our neck and shoulders, leading to lasting and serious pain. Additionally, these symptoms don’t always show up immediately.
You may notice that the pain emerges in the days following your accident. These symptoms could be a result of damaged muscle tissue, or the could be symptomatic of a deeper, spinal issue.
Spinal Issues
The spine is an area that is particularly vulnerable in car accidents. Issues like slipped or herniated discs are common in car accidents.
Damage to the spine can lead to all sorts of bodily pain, back problems, nervous issues, and more. These issues don’t always come up immediately either, as they can start small but gradually branch out into much larger issues.
Further, the side-effects of slipped discs can cause severe pain and damage to your appendages.
Pain, Tingling, Numbness
Because the spinal column is so intimately connected to a person’s nerves, slipped discs can often cause a lot of problems in the way of sensation.
Numbness and tingling are often signs that one of your discs is out of place and pressing on your nerves. Another common sign of this is extreme pain.
If the disc is in your lower column, you may experience the pinching of your sciatic nerve. This is the nerve that runs from your hip all the way down to your leg. When this nerve is pinched, it’s typically a sign of sciatica, which is essentially a lower spinal column falling out of place and obstructing the function of the sciatic nerve.
Emotional Trauma
In the days following the crash, you may also notice that your emotions are heightened or unusual.
A car accident is particularly stressful and potentially traumatic. If you notice distinct changes in personality, flashbacks, or new fears, it could be a sign that professional counseling is needed.
These symptoms could also come, in part, as a result of a concussion or brain damage. Emotional pain is another symptom that doesn’t necessarily emerge right away.
Have You Experienced a Crash?
Dealing with late appearing car accident injuries can be difficult when you’re on you’re own. Sometimes you need a little guidance, and we’re here to help.
At Georgia Auto Law, every member of our team specializes exclusively in Georgia auto accident cases. We are the only law firm in Georgia handling only auto accident cases. This means that we do not focus our time, research, or resources on anything except winning you the most money on your car accident case.
You are welcome to call one of our auto attorneys at any time, day or night, at (404) 662-4949. You can also complete our consultation form, and one of our car accident specialists will reach out to you within minutes. With our No Fee Pledge™, you pay nothing. We are here for you.