Experiencing Pain Days or Weeks After a Car Accident? Read This.

Often when we talk about injuries sustained in car accidents, we talk about obvious injuries – broken bones, lacerations and other injuries that are detectable immediately or shortly after an accident.

However, sometimes you aren’t even aware of an injury until hours, days or even weeks after your car accident. And by that point, it might not even occur to you that your symptoms are directly associated with the car accident.

So how do you know if these delayed symptoms are a result of your accident?

Below is a list of some of the more common symptoms that may occur in the days and weeks after an accident.  We recommend that you consult with your doctor if you are experiencing these or other symptoms.

Symptoms That Might Indicate a Delayed Injury Related to the Car Accident

Headaches

If you start experiencing headaches after your car accident, it might indicate that you suffered a concussion or a mild traumatic brain injury (TBI). Nausea, dizziness, problems with cognition or memory, and sensitivity to light or sound may also be present. If you are experiencing these symptoms, it is vital that you receive medical attention quickly to address your pain and discuss your accident with a qualified doctor.

Pain in neck, shoulder, or back

Whiplash is one of the most common types of delayed injuries from accidents. If you’re experiencing pain in your neck, back or shoulder areas, it could indicate that you have a soft tissue injury or a back strain. If you’re also experiencing numbness or tingling in your limbs, you need to see a doctor because it’s possible that you’re dealing with a herniated disc or a pinched nerve.

Abdominal pain

Internal injuries are some of the hardest to diagnose. When it comes to car crashes, we often think of brain injuries (and related TBIs) being difficult to diagnose but sometimes an abdominal injury doesn’t manifest itself immediately. Such injuries can be serious or even life-threatening.

Psychological pain

When assessing injuries after an accident, the focus is often on the physical symptoms – but that’s not the whole story. The adrenaline and desire to “shake it off” after an accident can make us feel and say that we’re fine, so the psychological impact can take some time to be fully realized. Psychological injuries, such as PTSD, are real and can be serious. The person who caused the accident may be found responsible for the psychological consequences you experience.

Are You Experiencing Delayed Pain After an Accident?

The most important thing to keep in mind after an accident is that you should not sign a statement for your ICBC adjuster before speaking with a lawyer. After all, if you sign a statement that says you don’t have a serious injury and then weeks later you claim that you do, it can compromise your claim.

If you didn’t sign such a statement and are now experiencing pain that you believe is linked to a delayed injury, get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible.