What Expect Physically After a Car Accident

Car Accident Has a Unique Physical Effect

A car accident has a unique physical effect on everyone involved. The truth is that two people riding in the same car at the time of a collision can experience different physical outcomes. What to expect physically after a car accident depends on a number of factors of the accident, including the speed of each vehicle, the force of the impact, points of impact, and your seating position.

Understanding the extent of your injuries and tracking their costs can help in two ways. First, you can understand what your recovery regimen and timeline will look like. Also, it may be easier to assign a financial value to your case when you seek compensation from the at-fault driver. Evidence like your medical records and the accident report will tell the story of the collision for you and the at-fault driver’s insurance representative.

Common Car Accident Injuries

A car accident can cause injuries to any part of your body. Even a so-called fender bender can result in injuries. If you were involved in an accident — even if you do not feel injured — you should seek medical attention immediately. The adrenaline rush of the accident could mask some injuries, and others could be internal and not readily visible.

Some injuries might not show up for hours or days. While the pain of broken bones might be immediate, a herniated disc can be asymptomatic until discovered with an imaging exam. The best way to know what you can expect after an accident is to have a medical professional examine, diagnose, and treat you.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries can be easy to miss. Without proper treatment, though, they can linger, cause chronic pain, and limit your mobility. Frequently reported soft tissue injuries to include:

• Bruising
• Contusions
• Torn ligaments
• Pinched nerve
• Neck pain
• Abdominal pain
• Whiplash
• Sprains and strains 

Minor soft tissue injuries may quickly respond to treatment and/or heal on their own. More serious ones can require the support of splints and slings and involve long recovery periods. Symptoms of soft tissue injuries include pain, swelling, cramps, tenderness, and lumps and bumps at the injury site. Your health care provider will explain your treatment options.

Spinal Cord Injury 

A spinal cord injury can be complete or incomplete and change your life forever because either type of spine injury can limit your mobility. Symptoms of a spinal cord injury include immobility, loss of bladder or bowel control, pain, tingling, or stinging, and difficulty breathing.

Many people have back, neck, and shoulder pain after car crashes. While fairly common, pain should not be dismissed or self-diagnosed. Damage to your spine can trigger physical, psychological, and emotional changes. Report extreme pain, immobilizing pain, and pain that lingers for days or weeks to your medical team immediately.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)

Car accidents are a primary cause of TBI — an injury that can permanently change your life. A TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe. A mild injury may resolve over time, and a moderate injury could require long-term care. A severe TBI will result in permanent changes that may leave you unable to care for your own needs.

TBI symptoms include:

• Headache
• Speech impairments
• Visual disturbances
• Cognitive delays
• Behavioral issues
• Mood disorders
• Depression

Treating a TBI can involve both physical and mental health care support. TBI patients may also require medication, several forms of counseling, and surgical support.

Do Not Let The Insurance Company Downplay Your Injuries

Working with a Fort Lauderdale personal injury in lawyer can help ensure you get the compensation you need to cover the cost of your accident-related medical care. If left untreated, your car accident injuries will only worsen over time. Concern about cost should never prevent you from getting the care you need.

After an accident, stick to your prescribed treatment plan, track your injuries in a journal, and maintain copies of your ongoing medical care. Your lawyer will use this evidence along with your car accident report and witness statements to prove the monetary value of the injury portion of your compensation case.

You Can Recover From a Car Accident

If you sustained physical injuries in a car accident, your health care team will let you know what to expect physically after a car accident. Our personal injury team will help you prepare an insurance claim or lawsuit and help you fight for financial compensation. 

Find out what else we can do for you by calling our client support team at the Law Offices of Wolf & Pravato at (954) 633-8270 today. The first call is complimentary, and we only take a fee if we obtain compensation for you.