Concussions, fractures, and back injuries are some of the most common injuries a motorist can suffer after an Anderson car crash.
Although many motorists instantly know they are injured, others might go days before they feel the first signs of an injury. McCravy, Newlon, Sturkie & Clardy is an established law firm that negotiates settlements for injured victims.
We know that delayed injuries after car accidents are common. We can nonetheless seek a fair settlement for any delayed injuries if they were caused by an accident. Contact us to speak with an Anderson car accident lawyer about your situation. We offer free consultations where we can discuss your delayed injuries and answer any questions you might have.
Common Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident in Anderson, South Carolina
Many people feel immediate, stabbing pain after a car accident. Maybe your shoulder pops out of joint, or you break your leg.
These injuries usually cause immediate pain. However, some symptoms take longer to emerge for various reasons. Here are common delayed car accident injuries:
Whiplash
Whiplash is a soft-tissue injury affecting the neck. Typically, motorists suffer whiplash when their head stretches too far forward before snapping back forcefully. This is a common injury in rear-end collisions.
With adrenaline flowing through your body, you might not immediately notice common whiplash symptoms:
- Neck stiffness
- Headache
- Shoulder pain
- Tingling in hands and fingers
- Dizziness
- Ringing in the ears
You might wake up a day or two before you fully feel the onset of a stiff neck. Other symptoms can also take time to emerge.
Whiplash is a disabling injury, although it has a reputation for being “minor.” Call your doctor or visit the hospital as soon as you experience any symptoms or a worsening of symptoms.
Back Sprain
Any wrenching movement can sprain a person’s back. A back sprain is a common injury when a car is T-boned or sideswiped. As the car spins, a motorist’s back can twist and turn. This is a painful injury that makes it hard for a person to stand or sit. Even lying down is painful, so accident victims cannot rest comfortably.
Pain is most common in the lower back. You can experience classic sprain symptoms:
- Swelling in the back
- Aches and pain
- Difficulty moving your back
A back sprain will slowly get worse if you do not rest and take other treatment, including pain medication or medication to reduce swelling. What begins as a dull ache in the back could become disabling in a day or two.
Concussion
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. It is one of the most common delayed injuries after a car accident in Anderson. A concussion is caused when a person slams their head on something in a crash, like the dashboard. But other motorists will suffer a concussion due to the hard shaking of the head. We often see a concussion paired with whiplash.
Delayed symptoms include:
- Vomiting or nausea
- Headaches which worsen
- Light sensitivity
- Double vision
- Disrupted sleep schedule
- Difficulty concentrating on tasks
- Forgetfulness
- Delayed reaction time
- Irritability
- Depression
For example, you might notice some slight sensitivity to light, along with a mild headache, the day of the accident. When you wake up the next morning, however, you experience blurred vision and your headache is much stronger. Over the coming days, you might be unable to focus at all on work or any other task around the house.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Psychological injuries are just as devastating as physical ones. PTSD is a common injury following car wrecks. One study claimed that about 39% of people suffer from PTSD after a motor vehicle accident.
The most common PTSD symptoms include:
- Intrusive thoughts—You could think about the accident constantly, reliving it when you are trying to go to sleep or at random points in the day.
- Self-blame—Some accident victims unduly blame themselves for the crash, even if they were not responsible.
- Anxiety—Increased anxiety is common, especially around “triggers” like the accident scene or getting inside another vehicle.
- Evasive behavior—Some motorists will avoid vehicles altogether because of their PTSD.
PTSD might take some time to fully manifest itself. You might go a week or more before you experience any of these delayed symptoms after a car accident.
How Common Are Delayed Injuries?
They are quite common. The immediate aftermath of an accident is so disorientating that many motorists are hurt but cannot focus on their pain. Only after they get to safety and calm down do they realize that they are seriously injured. The key is to receive treatment without delay.
Receiving Compensation for Delayed Injuries in a South Carolina Accident
The good news is that accident victims can receive compensation for delayed injuries. You will face some challenges, however.
For instance, the insurance companies might claim you are exaggerating or inventing your injury because it took a few days to manifest. That is an easy allegation to make. Since they want to avoid compensation, they will cite any reason to avoid paying a fair settlement.
But you can strengthen your claim by:
- Going to the hospital immediately after the crash.
- Returning to the hospital promptly when you first feel symptoms or feel symptoms worsen.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan, including resting to help whiplash or a concussion heal.
- Document your pain, sleeplessness, and mental health issues. For example, you can keep a journal where you document how you feel every day.
Some injuries (like those listed above) are well-known to take a day or two to appear. We can argue that you have fully documented your injury and the collision caused it.
Contact Our Anderson Car Accident Lawyer
McCravy, Newlon, Sturkie & Clardy have received compensation for many clients who experienced delayed injuries following a car wreck. Call our office if you were injured in a 29625 accident or if you live here. We can jump in and review your medical records.
We have also developed skills over the decades, negotiating with South Carolina’s largest car insurers. Reach out to schedule a free consultation.