The National Institutes of Health notes that after a car accident, patients may experience delayed symptoms of traumatic brain injuries – and even a mild headache days after the incident can be a dangerous sign. Many other injuries only become clear hours or days after a car accident. This “delayed symptom onset” highlights the need to seek medical attention as quickly as possible – even if auto accident victims are not sure whether they have suffered any injuries at all. After their condition stabilizes, a patient might also want to speak with experienced auto accident lawyers in Vermont, New Hampshire, or Florida – such as Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer. Call Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer at (802) 457-4848 to discuss the legal implications of delayed symptoms in more detail.
What Causes Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident?
Various factors may cause delayed symptoms after a car accident. In the immediate aftermath of a collision, victims may experience shock, psychological trauma, and heightened adrenaline levels. According to Mental Health America, adrenaline makes an auto accident victim less sensitive to pain by affecting their nervous system. The human body is hardwired to release adrenaline into the bloodstream during dangerous situations, and this response often occurs during car accidents. Combined with the release of other hormones, adrenaline may make it extremely difficult to notice various injuries.
Brain injuries and mental health issues could also lead to delayed symptoms. A classic example is amnesia, which is often caused by cranial impacts. Many car accident survivors cannot remember what happened during their collisions, and they may regain consciousness in hospital beds with memory loss. This could make it difficult to recall impacts, sprains, lacerations, and other injuries. Although healthcare providers should conduct in-depth examinations, subtle injuries may escape their attention. This is especially true if patients fail to notify doctors about injuries they do not remember. Finally, the psychological trauma of certain injuries may be so intense that accident victims repress or block out the memories.
Should I Seek Treatment Even if I Feel Fine After an Accident?
Due to the possibility of delayed symptoms, it is always a responsible choice to accept medical treatment after a car accident – even if there is no sign of injury. Some motorists refuse medical treatment at the scene of their accidents due to a “fight-or-flight” response. This psychological response may cause an instinctual retreat to safety – prompting victims to refuse treatment and flee back to their homes. While this might be understandable, it can be highly detrimental for both healthcare and legal outcomes.
Medical Testing Can Help Uncover Delayed Symptoms and Subtle Injuries
Prompt treatment and emergency transport at the scene of the crash help uncover delayed symptoms faster, and this could help patients address subtle injuries more effectively. Immediate treatment after a car accident is especially important if victims believe they might have suffered head injuries. Often, those who suffer serious brain trauma experience minor or non-existent symptoms.
The only sign of an intracranial hemorrhage may be a slight headache – but this injury could prove fatal if left untreated. Medical treatment gives patients access to MRIs, X-rays, ultrasounds, and a host of other testing procedures that can detect subtle yet serious injuries. Fractured bones can also be difficult to detect, and a broken rib may seem like a contusion at first. There are many other examples of difficult-to-detect injuries, and motorists should always seek medical treatment as a purely precautionary measure.
Injury Claims May Be Impossible if Motorists Fail to Seek Treatment
Regardless of the legal implications, motorists should seek precautionary medical treatment after accidents. That being said, crash victims should also be aware of the legal challenges if they fail to see a doctor. When an injured motorist files an auto injury claim, they must show evidence of their injuries. If a motorist fails to seek treatment after a crash, there will be no documentation of any injuries in their medical records. As a result, it could be difficult to prove that the injuries occurred as a result of the car accident. Without treatment, victims may struggle to prove that an injury occurred at all.
A delay of even a few days or weeks can have unintended consequences for those pursuing compensation after accidents. Often, injured motorists must deal with insurance adjusters during settlement negotiations. During these negotiations, the adjuster and their legal team might ask why an injured motorist waited so long to seek treatment. The implication is that the injuries could not have been very serious if the victim did not go straight to the hospital. To learn more about the legal implications of refusing treatment after a car accident, consider a conversation with Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer.
Psychological Issues Could Appear in a Delayed Manner
Various psychological ailments may manifest in a delayed manner after a car accident. Often, these psychological and emotional issues are more life-altering than physical car accident injuries. For example, a patient may struggle with whiplash for a few weeks after a rear-end accident. After this injury fades, however, they may face years of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other disorders associated with near-death experiences.
An injured victim may not fully understand or realize these issues until months after the accident. They may struggle to focus at work, and their relationships could degrade. Victims may also become socially withdrawn, and they might start avoiding pastimes they once enjoyed. These challenges may be legitimate non-economic damages, and they may lead to compensation after a successful auto injury lawsuit.
Contact Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer If You Have Any Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident
While medical treatment should always be the first priority after a car accident, victims may need to take additional legal steps to access effective healthcare. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average medical cost of non-fatal car accident injuries in the United States is almost $7,000 per person. Patients may find it easier to cover their medical bills while working alongside experienced auto accident lawyers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Florida. Auto accident lawyers can guide victims toward compensation for not only medical expenses, but also missed wages and non-economic damages. To discuss the legal implications of delayed symptoms in more detail, consider calling Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer at (802) 457-4848.