After a car crash, you might feel okay. It’s a false sense of security, though, because many injuries that people suffer in crashes don’t emerge until later on, when the adrenaline from the crash wears off. The body creates the burst of adrenaline as a fight-or-flight response to protect you, but it can hinder your ability to know if you’re hurt. That’s why it’s always important to go to the hospital after a crash, even if you think you’re okay.
Some of the injuries that emerge later include stiffness in your neck, headaches, numbness and PTSD. For instance, whiplash often doesn’t hurt until later on after you begin to relax. The muscles in the neck have been overextended from the whipping motion of the head, so they begin to tighten up and become inflamed. You can get a whiplash injury even in a low-speed crash, so it’s important to head to the hospital for X-rays and CT scans.
Another injury that might not crop up until later is numbness. As parts of your body swell, they begin to put pressure on the nerves. This can be a sign of whiplash or other injuries, so make sure you seek out a scan of your spinal column.
It’s also true that car accidents are mentally and emotionally traumatic. Maybe you didn’t witness the car coming toward you, but that doesn’t mean you didn’t fear for your life or the lives of those in your vehicle. That trauma can turn into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can lead to vivid, recurring memories of trauma, flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety and other issues.
After you seek medical help, your attorney can help you file a claim, so you can be reimbursed for the injuries you’ve suffered.
Source: KTAR News, “7 delayed injury symptoms after a car crash,” Dr. Alex Bigham, accessed March 03, 2017