Traffic accidents can happen to us anywhere, even when you are cautious on the road and observe all safety measures while driving. Whether it is the fault of another person or due to your own negligence, it is always advisable to get yourself checked after an accident, even if there are no visible injuries, because the risk of delayed symptoms after car accident is significant. Delayed injury after car accident, like internal bleeding or damage to organs, can complicate the medical and legal aspects for you. Don’t be left in the dark about car accident delayed injuries. Explore symptoms, timelines, and when to seek legal counsel with our experienced injury attorneys at Royce Injury!
Types of Delayed Car Accident Injuries & Their Symptoms
According to statistics, approximately 1.35 million people per year suffer from traffic accidents, resulting in death or disability. Many such accidents result in internal injuries and medical emergencies. The most common types of delayed car accident injuries observed in car accident cases are;
- Internal bleeding: It is the most common consequence of a car accident and often results in delayed injuries. Liver damage, brain trauma, intestinal bleeding, tissue ruptures, etc., can cause internal bleeding after an accident. Sudden and intense abdominal pain after an accident is often a sing of internal bleeding.
- Lower Back pain: Delayed lower back pain after car accident is another kind of delayed injury you may encounter if you have been in an accident.
- Spinal cord injuries: The symptoms of mild spinal cord injuries do not show up immediately. However, if you are feeling some delayed neck pain after car accident, consult a doctor as soon as possible. Any progressive weakness, numbness, or swelling of spinal discs can signal a delayed injury to the spinal cord.
- Clotting: In some delayed accident injuries, you don’t bleed —instead, the blood freezes in the form of clots. It causes the skin to look purple or blue, indicating bruising.
- Traumatic Brain Injury: TBIs can also develop from internal bleeding.
What Steps to Take When Injuries Show Up Days Later
Late appearing car accident injuries can be complicated and require a thorough examination to ascertain the degree of severity. If you feel any delayed pain after accident in the next few weeks, the first step is to seek medical attention. Here’s what you should do if you if delayed injuries show up after an accident:
- Get Medical Assessment and Checkup
The first step is to get medical treatment to avoid further damage. Ask your doctor to give a detailed analysis of the type, degree of severity, and implications of your delayed injuries. This information is vital when making an insurance claim or filing an injury lawsuit.
- Contact your Insurance Company
The next step is to contact your insurance company, providing them with a detailed report of your delayed injuries. If you have initially reported ‘no injury’ in the accident, it might be challenging to convince your insurance company to consider a compensation claim for any delayed injuries that might show up later. Therefore, it is recommended to say you’re not 100% sure about injuries after an accident to avoid potential complications in the future with the insurance company.
- Consult an Injury Attorney
The final step is to consult and hire an injury attorney. An initial consultation with car accident attorneys is usually free. They can answer your general questions about how long after accident can you claim injury. You will also need an expert injury lawyer to negotiate with your insurance company to reach a favorable settlement. Additionally, if the negotiations with your insurance company fail, you can also sue the at-fault party/parties for compensation with the expertise of an injury attorney.
What Damages Can You Recover After Delayed Car Accident Injury?
How long after a car accident can you claim injury will depend on various critical factors. Ideally, you can file an injury claim within three years of the accident. When estimating the amount to be claimed in an injury lawsuit, personal injury attorneys consider both financial and non-financial damages.
Financial damages include:
- Wage Loss: Wage loss is the damages you can claim as a result of not being able to go to your job during the recovery period. These may include present as well as future considerations and implications on your earning capacity.
- Medical expenses: These may include but are not limited to medical bills, doctor’s fees, diagnosis expenses, medicines, etc. These may also include psychological treatments (if needed).
- Property damage: If you suffered property damage, such as damage to your car resulting from your affected ability to drive due to delayed injuries, you can claim compensation for property damage.
- Legal expenses: You may also claim the cost of litigation, attorney fees, and other legal expenses.
Non-Financial damages include:
- Psychological damages: Non-financial damages include compensation for mental torture and agony.
- Any other compensation that the injury court sees appropriate.
Conclusion
In a nutshell, delayed injuries can emerge even days after an accident. It is recommended to do follow-up check-ups for any delayed injuries to the neck, abdomen, spine, etc., to make sure there are no medical complications later. Car accident lawyers at Royce Injury can assist you if you have experienced late appearing car crash injuries by setting up negotiations with your insurance company or representing you in court to help you win the compensation you deserve.
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