Car accidents are among the most common causes of serious injury, and most people who experience a car accident suffer some sort of discomfort or aching pain afterwards. While no car accident is ideal, it is always relieving for victims to realize that they avoided serious injuries and made it out with only some light bruises or discomfort.
Unfortunately, many car accident victims suffer injuries that are serious and potentially harmful without causing much pain or showing other symptoms. If a victim believes that they escaped their car accident ordeal without injuries, they may decide to move on with their lives and forego a full medical examination, which is very dangerous. After a car accident, it is always a good idea for each victim of the accident to receive a professional medical examination, to help identify delayed pain injuries that may cause real harm without proper treatment.
Examples of delayed pain injuries
Delayed pain injuries take many forms, including:
- Soft tissue damage
- Head injuries
- Damage to the spinal cord
- Internal bleeding and organ damage
Each of these injuries presents a different set of risks if left untreated. Soft tissue damage, commonly called whiplash, may not cause any pain for several hours. However, once damaged muscles begin to seize up, the injury can paralyze a victim and leave them unable to work or even perform simple daily tasks such as dressing and feeding themselves.
A blow to the head during a car accident can easily leave a victim with a minor traumatic brain injury, which may not cause any pain or show other symptoms for several days or even weeks. A minor brain injury may alter the victim’s personality and ability to communicate clearly or perform familiar tasks. Without treatment, a victim may suffer serious consequences in their personal and professional life from these sudden unexplained changes.
Spinal cord damage may not cause pain initially, which many victims find surprising. However, the spinal column acts as a channel that carries nerves from the brain to other parts of the body, and a damaged spinal cord may pinch or sever nerves, leaving a victim with long-term general and specific pain, numbness or tingling.
While most delayed pain injuries are harmful, they are not typically deadly. This is not the case when it comes to internal bleeding and organ damage. If a victim suffers from internal bleeding that goes untreated, they may lose too much blood and become unconscious. If the internal wound is small, they may develop an infection that can spread throughout their body, which is deadly and painful.
If an internal organ suffers damage in a car accident, the victim may not feel any pain while the organ continues to function. Unfortunately, if the organ does not heal, it will shut down. Once an organ shuts down, the victim will experience intense pain, and other organs may begin to fail as well, ultimately killing the victim.
Protect your future and recovery
If you recently experienced a car accident and believe that you have delayed pain injuries, it is crucial that you seek a full medical examination as soon as possible. The sooner that you identify injuries and treat them, the better. If these injuries resulted because of someone else’s actions or negligence, you may need to build a personal injury claim to seek fair compensation for your losses and suffering, as well as your medical expenses. A well-built claim keeps your rights secure while seeking justice for your injuries and property loss.