How Long Can Injuries Appear After a Car Accident?
Some car accident injuries show immediately, while others can take days or weeks to manifest. In either case, the sooner you seek medical help, the better. If you wait too long to go to the hospital or your primary care doctor’s office for treatment, you may face a long road to recovery or even permanent injuries.
If you were hurt in a car accident, you don’t have to deal with the consequences on your own, as you may qualify to recover compensation from the other party. The Florida accident attorneys at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato can review your options during a free consultation. Connect with us today at (954) 633-8270 to get started.
Examples of Car Accident Injuries
Your injuries following a car accident could be nothing more than sore muscles and cuts. On the other hand, you might have suffered injuries with long-lasting consequences that require an extensive hospital stay. Types of car accident injuries include:
- Whiplash
- Burns
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries, such as herniated or bulged discs
- Broken bones or fractures
- Internal bleeding
In reality, any of these injuries could have delayed symptoms–– no matter how uncommon. For instance, according to Mayo Clinic, symptoms of whiplash can show within days of the injury. Even if you can walk away from a crash and move your neck without feeling pain, you might not necessarily be in the clear.
The same goes for traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. As the days pass, you could start to feel less and less like yourself. Take slowed speech, persistent headaches, and poor coordination as signs to seek medical attention right away.
The Importance of Promptly Seeing a Doctor After a Car Accident
If someone called an ambulance to the accident scene, a doctor should have checked you for injuries at the hospital and started treating you right away. Should that not have been the case, we urge you to go to the doctor right away. Don’t “shake off” the aches and pains and decide to power through. Yes, you may just need to take a few days to rest, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
On top of ensuring you’re in good health, promptly seeing a doctor validates your claim. Visiting the doctor as soon after the crash as possible links the two events together. This way, the other party has less of a reason not to pay out fair damages. As such, if you wait too long to get medical care, the other party could try to blame your injuries on you.
For example, they may assert that you made your injuries worse because you delayed treatment or that your injuries must not be that bad if you waited so long to seek care. The other party may also claim something unrelated to the car accident triggered your injuries, like a pre-existing health condition.
Damages You Can Recover in Car Accident Cases
You may qualify to recover compensation for your car accident damages. Alongside the expenses and losses you already face, your settlement could account for the damages you could incur in the future. Common recoverable damages in car accident injury cases include:
- Medical care costs
- Lost income
- Future loss of earning capacity
- Car repair or replacement expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement
- Mental anguish
If you lost a loved one from their car accident injuries, you can obtain wrongful death damages, like funeral and burial costs, final medical bills, and loss of consortium.
Can I File a Lawsuit If I Suffered From Delayed Car Accident Injuries?
The longer you wait to receive treatment for your car accident injuries, the further you push back from filing your lawsuit. If you delay your lawsuit, you might risk missing the statute of limitations, otherwise known as the legal filing deadline. If you miss the deadline, the liable party will no longer bear financial responsibility for your related damages. In that case, you’d have to shoulder that burden alone.
Florida has a longer statute of limitations than many other states. In general, those suing for personal injury have four years to file their lawsuit, per Florida Statutes § 95.11. The state shortens the deadline for wrongful death lawsuits by two years. You could qualify for exceptions, but don’t count on them since they’re rare. With enough notice, an Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney at our firm can help you adhere to the corresponding deadline.
Our Attorneys Can Help You After Suffering Injuries in a Car Accident
Don’t wait and see how long it takes for your car accident injuries to manifest. See a doctor right as soon as possible to keep them from progressing. Once your condition stabilizes, contact the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato. We can gather evidence, assess your past and anticipated damages, and fight for a settlement that meets your needs. Contact or call us today at (954) 633-8270 to start a free consultation.
