The first thing to do after being in an accident is to report it, and to see a medical professional. After you’ve been in an accident or hurt at work, you might believe that you haven’t been injured or the injury is minor and doesn’t need to be reported. What you need to understand is that your body may be going through shock, but as the adrenaline wears off the pain increases. Injuries don’t always have visible or immediate symptoms, and you may not be getting the full experience of what your body was just put through. In most cases, if you were injured, you will feel it later or once you try to get back to work.
Because you don’t know if your symptoms will increase, you should always get a complete medical evaluation as soon as possible. The following symptoms sometimes could be the sign of a more serious injury, and sometimes aren’t apparent immediately following an accident.
Headaches
Headaches are a common delayed symptom that accident victims can experience. There are a few different ailments associated with this symptom, and they can include: a concussion, a blood clot, or what some people call “whiplash,” which is damage to the muscles and tissues in the neck.
Headaches can also be a symptom of a brain injury. Keep in mind, your head doesn’t have to come into physical contact during an accident for a brain injury to occur. During an accident, it is easy for your head to be violently whipped around and your brain can impact the inside of your skull. In an incident where this happens, it can cause your brain to swell, bleed, bruise, or damage the brain tissue.
Without getting a medical evaluation, it would be impossible to know if you’re suffering from a traumatic brain injury or a regular headache. Don’t chance it.
Neck and Shoulder Pain
Pain along the shoulders and neck should not be shrugged off. It can take a few days for neck and shoulder pain to increase, and the pain can seem minor or manageable at first. Taking a couple Advil and going on with your day without reporting your injury can be a mistake. Neck and shoulder pains are associated with symptoms of a herniated disc, torn rotator cuff, or even a spinal injury.
Back Pain
Back pain, like neck and shoulder pains, can occur hours or days after an accident. Back pain can be a sign of injuries to the muscles and ligaments. If the pain is accompanied by numbness, it could be a sign of a herniated disc or even spinal injury.
Spinal injuries can be devastating because the spinal cord is how the brain communicates with your body. It can take weeks to months of physical therapy or other medical procedures just to get back on your feet. Even then, you might have problems doing your job or resuming your full activities.
Abdominal Pain
As with the other symptoms, abdominal or stomach pains can be noticeable hours to days later.
Stomach pain can be a symptom of internal bleeding or other internal injuries such as a ruptured spleen. You may experience dizziness or notice bruising while experiencing abdominal pains.
Numbness/Tingling and Bruising
You might develop bruising or numbness or tingling sensations anywhere on their body. These symptoms can be due to a herniated disc or a pinched nerve, and if left untreated can cause debilitating pain or other difficulties. Those injuries will not show up on an x-ray, and often need an MRI or CT scan to diagnose the cause of the symptoms.
Emotional Distress/Human Suffering
Emotional symptoms can be just as subtle and even harder to notice than physical symptoms, and people often don’t want to admit that they are experiencing them. Emotional symptoms can take weeks to manifest and can be easily missed or disregarded as normal everyday feelings. Symptoms of emotional trauma can be any of the following:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Mood swings or personality changes
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Lack of motivation
- Lack of interest in activities you have previously enjoyed
- Panic attacks or anxiety
These symptoms may indicate post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression and can require therapy or medication to overcome, so it is important to tell your doctor if you experience any of them.
Even if you decide not to seek immediate medical care, do not sign any documents or give any recorded statements like a release of liability, before giving it enough time to confirm that you are not experiencing any symptoms. Doing so can negate any future claims that you could make for an injury and prevent you from getting proper compensation.
It can be easy to write off these symptoms or hope that they will go away. But if you’ve been in an accident, you should discuss what you’re experiencing with a medical professional, and get legal consultation. The severity of these injuries can result in mounting financial expenses and loss of income.
The Hines & Wilson Law Firm has been committed to helping victims and their families for more than 50 years. We know how overwhelming dealing with an injury can be. If you’ve been in an accident or hurt at work, contact us. You can call us at (573) 443-4500, our toll-free number (877) 473-4500, or email us info@hineslawfirm.com for a free and confidential consultation about your injury claim today.
