Can I file a claim if my injuries appeared after my car accident?

In the case of car accidents, it is quite common for injuries to develop days later. Those involved in car accidents often think they are fine at the moment, but as time goes on, so do their injury symptoms. Like injured athletes who continue during a game, a person may experience increased adrenaline and endorphin chemical levels after a motor vehicle collision. Sometimes this can influence a person’s ability to feel or notice pain.

The inherent risk of this natural phenomenon is that people do not realize they are injured until the emotion of the accident resides and pain symptoms begin to appear. The amount of time it takes for lesions to appear varies from person to person. It can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on factors such as the driver’s current health, the force of the impact, the severity of the accident, and much more. Read on to learn more important information about injury occurrence after a car accident.

Soft tissue injuries

The most common type of injury experienced after a motor vehicle collision is soft tissue damage, which affects the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This type of injury is notorious for appearing days, even weeks, later, and lasting for an extended period of time. It can start as mild stiffness, develop into mild or moderate pain, and eventually result in severe soft tissue injury.

One of the most common soft tissue injuries is whiplash. This occurs when the head jerks back and forth as a result of the force produced by the collision. Often times, people don’t even realize that their neck was jerked this way because it happens so fast. Pain, swelling, and reduced mobility are common signs of a whiplash injury, but they are also indicative of all other types of soft tissue injuries.

Demonstrating soft tissue damage

Soft tissue injuries are difficult to prove as they cannot be seen on any medical photography device. Neither an X-ray nor an MRI will show soft tissue damage, however they can show muscle tears and ruptures. If you were injured in a car accident and have begun to develop signs of injury, it is important to speak with a personal injury attorney before contacting your insurance company to file a claim. You will be instructed to obtain immediate medical attention and treatment to document your injury, and then you will begin to hear your case and negotiate a fair settlement to cover your damages and losses.

Concussions and head injuries

Like soft tissue damage, head injuries have also been known to appear much later. Concussions and other types of head or brain injuries can include a long list of symptoms. If you show more than one or two of these symptoms, you could have a concussion. For this reason, you should seek medical treatment immediately.

Here are some of the most common signs of a head or brain injury:

• Headaches

• Confusion or cloudy thinking

• Dizziness

• Blurry vision

• Memory loss

• Fainting

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea

• Discomfort

• Loss of energy

• Tired

• Sleeping excessively

• Difficulty to sleep