Car crashes have far-reaching consequences that can occur well beyond the immediate shock. Even if some injuries show moments after the incident, there are those that take longer to manifest. Depending on the severity of the injuries, symptoms may only appear hours, days or weeks after the accident.
It is then critical for survivors not to accept any initial settlement offer before consulting their physician for a thorough check-up of their condition. Doing so can prevent insurance providers and liable parties from taking advantage of the situation to avoid financial responsibilities.
Thus, knowing what these injuries are can help survivors seek the appropriate medical treatment that can, in turn, be a sound basis for determining the required legal action.
Watch out for these delayed injuries
Not all collisions yield minor and instantly apparent cuts and bruises. Some injuries may not be visible to the eye, yet pose fatal dangers. These can include:
- Whiplash injuries: Sharp neck pain, ringing in the ears, dizziness and headaches
- Soft tissue injuries: Inflammation, stiffness or reduced motion in muscles, tendons or ligaments
- Traumatic brain injuries: Nausea, cognitive difficulties and mood swings
- Psychological trauma: Disruptions in eating and sleeping patterns, recurring negative thoughts, anxiety and depression
The adrenaline rush often suppresses the actual pain the body is suffering from. So, when the dust settles, victims discover symptoms they did not initially feel. Increasingly worsening complications come about due to late detection.
Extra precautions can save lives
Even if car wreck victims feel completely fine or normal, they must still seek medical attention as an additional safety measure. Dismissing their circumstances into something that does not require urgent care can have devastating results. Conversely, accurate medical reports can save their lives and help their Ohio legal counsel establish the extent of damages they endured to make liable parties pay.
