What if I Don’t Realize I’m Hurt Until Later?

Most people in Georgia know that if they are injured in an accident like a car crash or a fall caused by someone else’s irresponsible actions, then they can seek compensation through a personal injury lawsuit. The damage award is usually covered by the responsible person’s insurance.

But what if you think you’re fine right after the accident? What if you drive away instead of getting in the ambulance, but days later, you start having fainting spells? Or if you get up off the floor and wave away offers of assistance, but the next day your back hurts so badly you can’t get out of bed?

It often takes time for symptoms of accident injuries to show up. When that happens, what should you do? Is it too late to seek compensation from the person responsible?

The good news is that it is usually not too late to start the legal process that can enable you to obtain damages. However, the bad news is that it can be much more difficult to succeed with your claim unless you take the right steps. Every situation is unique, so we can’t give legal advice for your situation in a general blog like this. We can explain some of the issues involved, helping you understand where you stand and what you need to do.

It is Important to Seek Medical Care as Soon as Possible

Ideally, every person involved in a motor vehicle collision or any other accident would go to the doctor right away, explain what happened, and request a thorough exam. Doctors can often detect signs of brain injury, internal bleeding, and other damage that is not obvious to those of us who don’t have the use of medical equipment and years of training and experience. Seeing a doctor promptly gives you access to immediate treatment, and it provides records of your injuries that can be used to show that those injuries were caused by the accident.

If you don’t notice the injuries until later, then go to the doctor as soon as you start to realize things aren’t normal. It is important to get a diagnosis as quickly as possible. Be sure to tell the doctor about the accident so that medical providers know to look for signs of different types of trauma damage. Remember that medical care protects not only your health but also your ability to recover financial compensation to offset the losses from the accident. It is critical to get records of your injuries, keep copies of those records, and follow the doctor’s instructions so the attorneys for the other side can’t claim that you made your injuries worse by failing to come for follow-up visits or doing things that the doctor told you not to do.

Why Serious Injuries May Not Become Apparent Until Later

Sometimes, even doctors don’t detect signs of injuries right away. That can be because the injuries develop gradually. Many medical problems are caused by pressure from bleeding or other fluid buildup that occurs slowly. An accident victim who appears perfectly healthy can gradually lose the ability to think and function, for instance, because of bleeding in the brain. An accident can also trigger damage to the spine and other parts of the body that grows worse over time instead of healing.

Pain, which is probably the leading indicator of injury, can be suppressed right after an accident due to a number of different causes. Adrenaline and other chemicals coursing through your system can override pain temporarily. Mentally, you may be so focused on what happened and injuries to others that you ignore your own pain. Sometimes, pain doesn’t develop until the pressure from fluid build-up in your body reaches a certain level.

Injuries That Frequently Don’t Reveal Symptoms Until Later

While there are many types of injuries that don’t become apparent until hours, days, or even weeks or months after an accident, some are more common than others. These include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Damage to internal organs
• Whiplash
• Spinal fractures and herniated discs
• Tears in ligaments, tendons, and muscles

It is essential to seek medical treatment immediately if you notice symptoms of these injuries such as headaches, nausea, pain, vertigo, numbness, tinnitus, memory loss, changes in sleep patterns, disorientation, unexplained mood swings, limitations in your range of motion, or increased sensitivity to light or sound.

Damage to Mental and Emotional Health

Injuries from a traumatic incident such as a truck accident, fire, animal attack, or violent assault usually cause intense psychological damage that can be even more devastating than physical injuries. Victims often find themselves trapped in a cycle where they re-live the incident over and over, keeping them constantly on edge and interfering with their ability to concentrate on anything in the present. They can lose the ability to work, interact with family and friends, and enjoy activities that were once the highlight of their lives. They may struggle to cope in a constant state of fear and anxiety.

It can take years of treatment from mental health professionals to manage the symptoms, and the damage may never fully heal. But the intense psychological damage is not usually apparent right away. Or it can seem to “heal” only to reappear with greater intensity later.

If you are suffering mental and emotional problems that could have been triggered by your accident, it is a good idea to seek help from a mental health professional as soon as possible and keep copies of your records. It is also helpful to keep a journal of how you feel each day, noting incidents such as whether a panic attack or depression kept you from engaging in activities you normally would have enjoyed. These records provide documentation that can be used to support your claim for damages for the mental and emotional damage caused by the accident.

Talk to an Attorney Who Understands How to Overcome the Challenges of Recovery in Cases of Delayed Onset Injuries

It is harder to win damages in cases where an accident victim seemed “fine” right after the accident. Attorneys for the person responsible for causing the accident will argue that it was something other than the accident that caused the problems. At Michael M. Day Law Firm. LLC, we know that recovery is more challenging in these cases, but we understand how to overcome the obstacles to build the best case to obtain maximum compensation for your losses. Regardless of when you noticed your injuries, we invite you to contact us for a free case evaluation so we can discuss your options for recovery. To get started, just call us at 404-480-4284 or contact us online today.