Although car safety features are better than they have ever been, car accidents remain one of the most common ways for a person to suffer a serious injury. Often, the impact of an accident leaves victims with injuries that do not cause any immediate pain or visible signs, although the injuries themselves are often quite serious.
Delayed pain injuries come in many forms, some more harmful than others. Whiplash, head injuries, internal bleeding and partial organ damage may all take several hours or days to cause pain, and some of these can even turn life-threatening. Delayed pain back and neck injuries can truly alter the quality of a victim’s life for a matter of months, or for remainder of the victim’s life, if the victim does not receive proper diagnosis and treatment quickly.
If you suspect that you suffered a back or neck injury in a car accident, it is important to see your doctor or another qualified medical professional for a full medical examination. Catching a hidden injury before it gets worse and causes pain or other symptoms typically means less long-term harm to your body and possibly a shorter, less costly recovery. The medical documentation from your exam is also useful if you need to file a personal injury claim against some other party, to protect your rights and recover fair compensation for your suffering and losses.
Delayed pain back injuries
Several different back and neck injuries may not cause any pain in a victim for some time after a car accident. Most commonly, accident victims experience soft-tissue damage in the muscles throughout their back and neck, also known as whiplash.
Soft-tissue damage does not cause pain immediately, in most cases, but is incredibly painful once it sets in. Muscles affected by the injury often seize up, making it painful and difficult for victims to move the affected area. If the damage is to the back and neck muscles, this can leave a victim practically paralyzed until the muscles recover, which can take weeks. It is easy to imagine how a victim may not be able to work or perform daily tasks if they cannot move their neck or back.
It is also common for car accident victims to suffer damage to their spinal column, which may or may not cause pain. All of the nerves that run throughout a person’s body travel first through their spinal column, meaning that spinal injuries often leave nerves pinched or severed inside. Once the damage sets in, a victim may experience ongoing painful sensations throughout their body, including aching, stinging, burning, tingling and numbness.
Protecting your quality of life
Car accident injuries can change a victim’s quality of life forever, even if they receive immediate medical care and proper ongoing treatment. If you recently experienced a car accident, you must seek strong medical care as soon as possible to protect your future quality of life. With proper care and a strong legal strategy, you can keep your rights secure while you work toward fair compensation for your losses.