Any accident involving cars or other motor vehicles can be a traumatic experience and can leave lasting injury, both psychological and physical. In addition, some injuries may not become noticeable until the time following the accident. As such, it’s important that your injuries following the accident are closely observed, as will be explained in this article.
SOFT-TISSUE DAMAGE
Of the types of injuries sustained during car accidents; soft-tissue damage is among the most common. Even low-speed collisions can easily cause soft tissue damage due to the tremendous forces involved in a sudden stop. The most common soft-tissue injury is “whiplash”, referring to the damage of neck muscles due to the head being forcefully jolted back or forward in a sudden collision.
Soft-tissue damage is common around joints, generally resulting in swelling and pain as well as reduced joint mobility. However, symptoms may take weeks to appear and can be difficult to detect initially. It’s important to regularly check in with a doctor in the weeks following an accident to ensure any soft-tissue damage is detected.
IMMEDIATE INJURIES
During and immediately following injuries sustained in a car accident, it can be easy for many injuries to be missed altogether due to the generation of adrenaline and endorphins by your body. The chemicals generated by your body after an accident can serve to dull pain and increase energy, possibly making some injuries unnoticeable until some time after the accident, when the pain is no longer dulled.
CONCUSSIONS
A violent jolt or having your head struck may cause your brain to violently collide with the inside of your skull, causing a concussion. A concussion is an extremely serious injury, and symptoms may take some time to become apparent. This is why it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible after a car accident and to continue monitoring injuries in the weeks following.
AVOID IMMEDIATE SETTLEMENT
After a car accident, it’s likely that the driver of another vehicle involved may attempt to have you sign a release on any possible claims, and their insurance company may offer you a monetary settlement in order to convince you to do so. However, it is ill-advised to accept any offer or to sign any agreements until you have had a full evaluation by a professional doctor. Once a release has been signed, you surrender your right to compensation and will be unable to claim damages for injuries that were not apparent at the time. Speaking with an experienced attorney is recommended before signing any agreement as well as waiting until you’re certain all injuries have become apparent. Need an attorney? CLICK HERE to set up a free meeting with personal injury attorney Thomas Pyles. He will go over your case and make sure you get the compensation you deserve.
SEE A DOCTOR AFTER A CAR ACCIDENT
The most important thing to do after an accident is to pay a visit to a doctor’s office and have yourself checked for injury, even if none is apparent, or you don’t feel any pain. The best person to determine whether or not you have sustained any serious injuries during the accident will be your doctor. In addition, your doctor will also be able to provide advice on keeping the symptoms of possible injuries under close observation, and under what circumstances you should report in for additional check-ups. Visiting a doctor immediately following the accident will also prevent any claim adjuster from arguing that you weren’t injured enough to seek out medical treatment.
CONCLUSION
Not all injuries are apparent immediately following an accident. It’s important to visit a doctor as soon as possible to make sure there are no serious issues that you’re not aware of. In addition, it’s also important to speak with an attorney before signing any agreement with the other party’s insurance agency. Thomas Pyles can help you with your personal injury case.
