Millions of people are injured every year in car accidents. For the lucky ones, injuries are only minor, and they may recover within a few days or weeks. Others aren’t quite as fortunate.
One dangerous aspect of severe injuries is that the symptoms can be delayed. Why is this, and what are some of the most common delayed injuries?
Adrenaline can mask pain
Those involved in a car crash are often highly adrenalized. This means that they have a high tolerance to pain. Some injuries may not become apparent until several hours after the crash, when the pain starts to set in.
Some serious injuries take time to manifest
Not all serious injuries occur immediately. A victim may not always bleed externally, have severe swelling or be in any severe discomfort. This can all come days or even weeks after the accident. Some of the more common examples of delayed injuries include:
- Internal bleeding: Internal bleeding in the organs can take time to manifest. Several days can pass before the victim notices bruising, redness, swelling, pain, nausea and breathlessness. Internal bleeding is potentially life-threatening, which is why anyone involved in a serious crash should seek a thorough medical evaluation.
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): While many head injuries result in an immediate headache, this isn’t always the case. Headaches may not start until days or weeks after the crash. Delayed headaches could be a sign of a more serious issue, such as a blood clot in the brain. Having scans after a crash is the only way to rule out a serious head injury.
Seeking urgent medical care after a crash is vital. After that, you may want to start thinking about your legal options.