Car Accident Injuries Can Appear Later On

If you have been involved in a car accident due to distracted driving, or any other cause, it's not unusual for pain and injuries to get worse as time goes on. After the initial shock of the accident wears off and the body stops producing endorphins that work to mask pain, you could feel sorer the day after the accident.

Whiplash and Soft Tissue Injuries

These are the most common delayed injuries you could experience. Whiplash describes soft tissue injuries in your neck but it can affect any neural pathway all the way down the spine and into the extremities. Other whiplash symptoms include:

• Weakness or numbness in the affected areas
• Reduced range of motion
• Slow reflexes
• Stiff arms and shoulders
• Muscular spasms
• Headaches and dizziness

These symptoms can make everyday tasks more difficult. You will need treatment like chiropractic manipulation or physical therapy.

Concussions

This is another common injury from a distracted driving incident. Concussions may not be evident straight away, particularly if you don't have someone around who knows you and can monitor your post-accident behavior. Concussions are traumatic brain injuries that occur when the brain strikes the inside of the skull. They can cause temporary loss of brain function, along with:

• Amnesia
• Headaches
• Disorientation
• Loss of balance
• Vomiting
• Tinnitus
• Confusion
• Difficulty concentrating or reasoning
• Insomnia or lethargy

Treatment for concussions involves treating the symptoms, aside from rare cases where surgery is necessary.

Emotional Damage Caused by a Distracted Driving Accident

Psychological or emotional damage can be hard to spot after an accident. The most common emotional harm that can be linked to car accidents is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD involves misplaced situational anxiety after a traumatic incident. A person may experience anxiety, depression and other disruptions to their normal personality. PTSD may not show until many months after an accident.

What Does This All Mean For Your Case?

The main concern with these types of late-appearing injuries is that you receive proper treatment and do all you can to recover fully. Another big concern is that late-appearing symptoms can make it more difficult to hash out and settling a claim or case. Often times, insurance companies (usually your own insurer but if the other driver was at fault, then their insurance provider) will try to get you to sign a release for a settlement amount fairly soon after the distracted driving accident. Yes, this settlement may go some way to paying some of your damages. But if you sign a settlement that covers all the current damage and only experience the above injuries later on, you are going to have to spend a great deal of money on medical bills to treat injuries like post-traumatic seizures and PTSD. You won't be able to go back to your insurer to get these medical bills covered. If you have been injured in an accident caused by distracted driving, talk to the lawyers at Clore Law about the settlement process and valuing your case. Contact us at 843-722-8070.