National Car Accident Statistics
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimated that over $836 billion was lost due to the harm caused by car accidents throughout 2010.
When considering car accident injuries, most people’s first thoughts go to extreme, severe and apparent injuries. More often, however, victims of car accidents don’t even realize they are injured right away. It could take days, weeks or even months before they realize they’re injured.
Read on to learn more about why injuries are often delayed, the symptoms of delayed injuries and the most common losses associated with such accidents.
Why Would an Injury be Delayed After an Accident?
Car accidents are extremely stressful and at times traumatic on both the body and mind. Thankfully, our bodies have built-in protection measures that help us deal with the stress of such events. These protection measures are also the reason why many symptoms and signs of an injury may be delayed. The stress may cause your body to produce:
- Adrenaline
- Endorphins
These chemicals mask pain, but they will fade in the days and weeks after the accident. Once these chemicals begin to fade away, the pain will become apparent.
What Are the Symptoms of a Delayed Injury?
The most commonly impacted areas of a delayed injury are the head, spine, back and neck. When a soft tissue injury occurs, the pain is more likely to be delayed and increase in severity over time. Here are the symptoms that you shouldn’t ignore after an accident:
- Chronic headache
- Pain in the shoulders or neck
- Changes in personality
- Extreme emotional distress (PTSD symptoms)
- Abdominal pain
- Back pain
- Numbness
While these symptoms could be harmless, you shouldn’t ignore them. You need to get them checked out by a medical professional as soon as possible to ensure those symptoms aren’t indicative of a more serious injury.
Losses Associated with Late-Appearing Accident Injuries
Some people mistakenly believe that if an injury isn’t immediately apparent that it must not be serious. Nothing could be further from the truth. Late-appearing injuries can cause losses in the form of:
- Medical bills
- Prescription costs
- The time you’ve lost off of work
- Loss of productivity
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your car accident, it may be possible to financially recover from these losses in court.
Contact a Pompano Beach Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Late-Appearing Car Accident Injury Case in Florida
Did you or a loved one sustain serious but late-appearing injuries from a car accident in Florida? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Gonzalez & Cartwright represent clients with late-appearing injuries in Lake Worth, Pompano Beach, Boynton Beach, Greenacres, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Deerfield Beach, and throughout Florida. Call 561-898-0497 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 4701 N Federal Hwy #309, Pompano Beach, FL 33064 as well as offices in Lake Worth.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.