At just a moment’s notice, a car accident can occur, and its repercussions can last a lifetime. While some injuries are immediately evident, others may not show symptoms until much later, complicating diagnosis and treatment.
To those who have suffered car accident injuries in Queens or elsewhere, knowing when these injuries show up is vital for two reasons: getting the best medical care and handling legal matters like insurance or a personal injury claim.
This article breaks down common car accident injuries and when you might experience them.
Table of Contents
Immediate Injuries
Immediate injuries from a vehicle accident can range from mild to severe, depending on the impact and circumstances of the crash. These injuries typically have clear, recognizable symptoms and are usually identified without delay at the scene of the accident.
Here are some common types of injuries that can occur right at the moment of the accident:
Broken Bones
The sudden, forceful impact of a car crash can easily result in bone fractures. Commonly broken bones in car accidents include ribs, arms, legs, and hips, where the force exerted during the crash exceeds the bone’s ability to withstand it.
Cuts And Lacerations
Shattered glass, exposed metal, or even loose objects within the car can inflict cuts and lacerations. These injuries can vary greatly in severity, ranging from minor scrapes to deep wounds that require immediate medical attention.
Head Injuries
These injuries can vary from mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). They occur when the head strikes an object such as the steering wheel, window, or another part of the vehicle’s interior, or when the brain is jolted within the skull due to the crash.
Sprains And Strains
The violent forces during a collision can cause unnatural movements in the joints, leading to sprains (tears or stretches in ligaments) and strains (tears or stretches in muscles). These types of injuries are particularly common in the neck and back.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Among the most catastrophic of immediate injuries, damage to the spinal cord can occur when the spine is either compressed or severed in an accident. These injuries can lead to varying degrees of temporary or permanent paralysis, significantly impacting a victim’s quality of life.
It’s essential to seek prompt medical attention after a car accident, even if you feel fine initially, as some potential injuries might not present symptoms immediately.
Delayed Onset Injuries
Some injuries from an auto accident can take hours, days, or even longer to become apparent. These are typically known as delayed onset injuries because their symptoms may not be noticeable immediately after the trauma.
Here are common delayed injuries and an explanation of how long they can go unnoticed:
Concussions
While some symptoms of a concussion can be immediate, others might not show up for hours or days after the accident. Symptoms like confusion, dizziness, memory problems, and headaches can gradually appear.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Injuries to muscles, ligaments, and tendons, such as whiplash, might not cause pain or discomfort until the inflammation sets in, which could take a few days. These injuries are often more painful and apparent after the initial shock and adrenaline of the accident wear off.
Internal Bleeding
This can be one of the most serious delayed injuries because it can remain hidden until it becomes severe. Symptoms like pain, dizziness, fainting, and abdominal swelling could take hours or days to manifest.
Herniated Discs
The impact of a car accident can cause the material within spinal discs to rupture or shift, leading to a herniated disc. This can compress nerves and cause pain, numbness, or weakness in the limbs, which might not be immediately noticeable until the inflammation develops days later.
Psychological Injuries
Psychological and emotional trauma, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), can take time to manifest after an accident. Symptoms like anxiety, flashbacks, and depression might not surface until long after the physical injuries have healed.
Neck And Shoulder Pain
Apart from whiplash, other neck and shoulder injuries might only become apparent after the body’s initial stress response diminishes. This can take several days to a week.
Knee Trauma
Injury to the knee from striking the dashboard, for example, can result in pain and swelling that might not occur immediately due to the body’s initial pain response mechanisms.
Understanding that these injuries can have a delayed onset is crucial because individuals might mistakenly believe they are uninjured and forego medical evaluation thus delaying recovery.
It’s advisable to monitor one’s health closely after a car accident and seek medical attention if any new symptoms develop, regardless of how much time has passed since the incident.
Final Thought
Car accident injuries can range from immediately noticeable to those that take days, weeks, or even longer to manifest. Recognizing the varied timelines and types of injuries can significantly impact treatment outcomes and the handling of insurance or legal matters.
Whether injuries are evident right after an accident or appear long afterward, seeking medical attention and monitoring any changes in one’s physical and psychological state is imperative.
