Car accidents are frightening experiences, causing a rush of adrenaline and stress hormones which help trauma victims cope with alarming situations without dissolving into panic. After an accident, the adrenaline rush begins to dissipate but may take hours or even days to disappear completely. One of the functions of the cocktail of adrenaline, endorphins, and stress hormones released during an accident is to mask any pain so that a person in a frightening situation can do what needs to be done to save themselves and others.
For this reason and other factors like the progress of inflammation from injuries, some Cherry Hill injury victims brush themselves off and go home once cleared by law enforcement officers rather than going to a hospital.
What Types of Car Accident Injuries Have Delayed Symptom Onset?
Some types of injuries are immediately clear after an accident. Broken bones, lacerations, and severe head injuries show immediate symptoms and receive emergency care by EMS at the scene and at the hospital. However, some other car accident injuries may have delayed symptom onset due to adrenaline, and also because some types of injuries develop during the hours and days after the accident as inflammation and internal bleeding occur. Commonly masked car accident injuries include the following:
- Traumatic brain injuries like concussions, hematomas, and other brain injuries that worsen as bleeding, bruising, and swelling occur
- Internal organ injuries
- Whiplash and other neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Soft-tissue injuries to shoulders, knees, ankles, and wrists
- Contusions (bruises)
- PTSD
Whiplash is one of the most common injuries with delayed symptom onset. Pain, stiffness, headaches, and mood changes occur during the days after a car accident. Back injuries like herniated discs may also worsen during the days following an accident.
Signs of Delayed Car Accident Injuries
In addition to increased pain and stiffness in the neck and back, car accident victims should watch for other symptoms of serious injuries that may have gone unnoticed immediately after the accident. Be wary of symptoms such as:
- Headaches
- Changes in vision
- Numbness and tingling in the upper extremities
- Memory and concentration problems
- Changes in mood, behavior, or personality
- Pain and stiffness in the neck or back
- Tenderness in the abdomen or chest
- Changes in bowel function
- Difficulty breathing
- Withdrawal, isolation, avoidance of triggers such as talking about the accident or driving
Some car accident injuries with delayed reaction can have critical consequences such as internal organ damage or traumatic brain injuries that require medical intervention as soon as possible. Others can cause debilitating pain such as whiplash and back injuries. PTSD also has lasting consequences for some car accident victims, especially if it remains unaddressed.
Why Car Accident Victims Should Always Go to a Hospital After the Accident
After any car accident beyond a parking lot fender-bender, car accident victims should go directly from the scene of the accident to a hospital or urgent care center to request a full medical evaluation. Not only does this ensure that any serious injuries receive immediate medical care, but it also documents evidence that the injury occurred in the car accident so an insurance company cannot use the delay as a cause to dispute the claim. When a car accident victim in Cherry Hill fails to seek an examination immediately after an accident, they should still get medical care the moment they notice pain, stiffness, headaches, or any other symptoms.
How Can a New Jersey Car Accident Victim Help?
Whether or not you sought medical attention directly from the accident scene, as a car accident injury victim, you deserve strong, assertive representation to protect your rights and best interests against insurance companies that prioritize profits at your expense. Call Cuneo & Leonetti today so we can take prompt aggressive action on your behalf.