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Car Crash Injuries: What to Do When Symptoms Appear after an Automobile Accident
Commonly, when people are involved in automobile accidents, they inadvertently impair their legal rights by assuming they are not injured and making statements about this belief to police and witnesses. When you immediately tell people there is nothing wrong with you at the time of the accident, these statements can be used against you later on if you discover injuries after the accident and pursue legal action. Sometimes, injuries resulting from accidents display immediately, while others show up days or weeks later when you least expect it.
In 2012, the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration estimated that approximately 2.3 million people suffered injuries as a result of an automobile accident across the United States. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, approximately 28,000 individuals were involved in automobile accidents in Wisconsin in 2012. Many people walk away from accidents feeling happy to be alive. However, when the adrenaline wears off a few hours later, the pain may begin to set in.
Symptoms of Injuries Appearing after an Automobile Accident
As indicated above, injuries after automobile accidents are not always readily apparent. This can be due to a multitude of reasons, including but not limited to shock, delay in symptoms appearing, or your dismissal of a minor pain assuming it will heal over time.
The most common symptoms of injuries that appear after an accident are whiplash and concussions. Whiplash is considered a soft-tissue injury that is commonly overlooked. Soft-tissue injuries involve ligaments, muscles and tendons. You may have whiplash if you experience:- Stiffness/pain in your neck;
- Blurred vision;
- Ringing in your ears;
- Headache;
- Shoulder pain (or between shoulder blades);
- Dizziness; and
- Possibly reduced range of motion.
Since these are soft-tissue injuries, they will not show up on traditional x-rays. You will need to need to have an MRI or CT scan performed to identify the injured site.
Concussions, as mentioned above, are often the result of an accident. And although concussions may seem like mild injuries at times, they can be very dangerous. You may have a concussion if you hit your head as a result of the accident and lost consciousness. Depending on how hard you hit your head, the symptoms of a concussion could include:
- Headache;
- Confusion;
- Nausea/vomiting;
- Blurred vision;
- Slurred speech;
- Irritability/aggression;
- Memory loss;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Sensitivity to light and noise; and
- Loss of balance.
A concussion, like whiplash, cannot be found on an X-ray. You will need a neurological exam or CT scan.
Contact an Attorney
If you or a loved one was involved in an automobile accident, you should first seek immediate medical attention and then contact an experienced Milwaukee personal injury attorney who will be able to enforce your legal rights and get you the compensation you deserve.
