Delayed Injuries After a Car Accident

Car accidents are violent events that often lead to traumatic, life-threatening injuries. However, not every injury that results from a car accident is immediately apparent. In some cases, it can take days or even weeks after an accident for the symptoms of a serious injury to manifest themselves. What’s worse, the delay between the underlying accident and the arrival of symptoms can make it difficult for accident victims to prove the connection between the two, thus jeopardizing their ability to recover fair compensation.

Are you experiencing delayed injuries from a car accident in Queens, New York? If so, you deserve experienced legal advocacy to help you seek every cent of the money you’re entitled to. Contact The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C., today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a car accident attorney in Queens, and tell us about what happened.

Why Is Pain Delayed After a Car Accident?

There are several reasons that you might not be in pain despite having suffered serious injuries in a car accident.

First is that your body was likely flooded with adrenaline in the immediate aftermath of the collision. Adrenaline is a hormone the body releases in response to stress or fear. It heightens your alertness, helps you respond quickly to danger, and, critically, dulls your sense of pain. In other words, your body’s natural reaction to a car accident is to protect itself from feeling pain until you’ve gotten to safety.

Another reason you might not have sensed pain at first is that certain injuries worsen over time or present relatively subtle symptoms at first. For example, sprains, strains, and other soft tissue injuries might be unnoticeable at first, until inflammation starts to cause pain. Because you’re unaware of them, you won’t realize that you’re exacerbating them every time you move the affected area. What started as a minor twinge in your shoulder could soon become a debilitating injury that prevents you from lifting your arm or turning your head.

Types of Injuries with Delayed Pain

The following are some of the most common that involve the delayed onset of pain:

• Concussions are a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a blow or jolt to the head. Even without direct impact, a sudden deceleration can cause the brain to hit the inside of the skull, leading to dizziness, confusion, or later headaches.
• Soft tissue injuries involve damage to muscles, tendons, or ligaments and are especially common in the neck, shoulders, and back. The swelling and inflammation that cause pain can take time to develop.
• Whiplash is a specific type of neck injury caused by the rapid back-and-forth motion of the head during impact. Damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons can lead to stiffness, headaches, and radiating pain that may develop hours after the crash.
• Herniated discs occur when the cushioning disc between vertebrae ruptures or shifts out of place during impact. This can cause delayed back or leg pain, numbness, or weakness as the disc presses on spinal nerves.
• Internal bleeding can result from trauma that damages internal organs or ruptures blood vessels. It often takes hours or longer after an accident for abdominal pain, bruising, dizziness, and other symptoms to manifest.

Delayed Injury Symptoms to Watch for After a Collision

The following are some common delayed injury symptoms after a car accident to watch out for, as they might suggest you’ve suffered an injury you’re not yet aware of:

• Headaches could indicate a concussion, whiplash, or even internal bleeding. Be especially concerned if they persist or worsen over time.
• Neck or shoulder stiffness is often a sign of whiplash or soft tissue injury, which may not become painful until inflammation sets in.
• Back pain can result from muscle strain, spinal misalignment, or a herniated disc that develops after impact.
• Abdominal pain and swelling suggest internal bleeding or organ damage, especially when accompanied by bruising or dizziness.
• Numbness or tingling may indicate nerve damage or a spinal injury, particularly if it radiates into the arms, legs, or hands.
• Dizziness or blurred vision can be linked to a concussion or head trauma, even if there was no direct blow to the skull.
• Fatigue and trouble concentrating are associated with concussions or chronic pain conditions that develop after the body’s initial stress response fades.

Can You Seek Compensation for Delayed Car Accident Injuries in New York?

If someone else caused the accident that injured you, that person owes you compensation for the injuries you suffered as a result, even if those injuries took weeks or months to manifest themselves.

However, the more time that elapses between the accident and your symptoms, the harder it might be to prove that the former caused the latter. The at-fault driver and their insurance provider will likely argue that your injuries have some other source, and that they’re not obligated to pay you for them.

How to Protect Your Right to Compensation for Delayed Injuries

You should do the following to effectively pursue compensation for delayed injuries after a car accident in Queens:

• Follow up with your own insurance provider if you have auto insurance, as you are likely entitled to compensation for medical expenses under your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage.
• Seek medical attention if you have not already done so. Tell the treating physician about your symptoms and that you suspect they may be related to a car accident you were in recently.
• Start a “pain journal” in which you record the symptoms you notice and how they feel over time.
• Be careful about what you say to insurance companies, as they’ll look for ways to undermine your claim and avoid paying you fairly.

Finally, get in touch with a Queens car accident lawyer as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it may be to prove that your injuries were caused by the accident and that the other driver owes you money.

Get in Touch with the Queens Car Accident Attorneys at The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C., for Help

Have you started to notice pain symptoms in the days, weeks, or months after a car accident in Queens? If so, contact The Tadchiev Law Firm, P.C., today for a free consultation about your case. An experienced Queens, NY car crash lawyer will listen to your story, advise you on your options, and discuss how we can help you pursue the fair compensation you deserve.