Car accidents and other instances of injury or strain on the body do not always cause injuries that are immediately painful or visible. In fact, a number of different injuries may not cause pain in a victim until hours, days or even weeks after the injury occurs.
These injuries, known as delayed-onset injuries, pose more danger than many victims realize. Just because you can’t feel pain doesn’t mean that an injury is not actually causing harm to your body, and in the case of delayed onset injuries, those who do not treat them properly may suffer serious long-term injury or even death.
Everyone who experiences a car accident should see a medical professional afterward for a proper medical screening to identify any injuries that are not apparent. In many cases, this is simply a safety precaution, but for a significant number of car accident victims, these screenings save them unnecessary pain and harm by treating injuries effectively before they have time to worsen.
If you find that you did suffer delayed pain injuries in an accident, you should consult with an experienced attorney who can help you understand the legal implications of your accident. If someone else is at fault for the injuries, you may have grounds for a personal injury suit to claim fair compensation for your losses.
Do you have abdominal pain?
Before we go any further, if you or someone you know experienced a car accident and shortly afterward began feeling pain your abdomen, you should go to an emergency room immediately. This type of pain often occurs when a victim suffers internal bleeding or damage to organs. If you suffer this type of injury and choose to avoid treatment or wait until it is convenient, you may seriously hurt yourself or even die.
Damaged organs often lead to organ failure, which is deadly. Likewise, internal bleeding leaves victims susceptible to infections entering their bloodstream and traveling to all parts of the body, which is also deadly. Do not take this type of pain lightly! Stop what you are doing and go seek emergency medical care as soon as possible.
Neck, back and head injuries
The brain and spinal cord control and communicate with every part of your body, so when an injury damages one of these systems, the results can be catastrophic — eventually. Often, symptoms of these injuries do not appear for hours or even days, and symptoms can vary significantly because these systems affect nearly every other part of the body.
If you suffer a brain injury from a blow to the head, you may have difficulty reading or holding a conversation, or may suffer headaches and nausea. You may even experience a number of personality changes, and the symptoms can last up to a year. If you suffer this injury, a year of struggling to communicate and problem-solve can dismantle your life entirely.
If you injure your spinal cord or the nerves held within it, you may feel a number of sensations, ranging from acute pain in one area, like your back, to numbness or tingling in an area, such as your legs.
Be sure to seek out all the help you need to recover from these injuries and reclaim your life after an accident.