One thing that many personal injury law firms would like drivers to understand is that not all injuries are immediately apparent. For this reason, you shouldn’t dismiss the medical evaluation at the scene, even if you don’t think you were hurt. The adrenaline and endorphins that your body will release in the aftermath of an accident may actually dull the pain from any injuries, keeping you from noticing them until later. Here are two common injuries that aren’t detected until after you’ve had time to settle down.
Concussion – Car accidents can cause you to hit your head at a startling velocity, and if the impact is hard enough, it may cause you a concussion. Since concussion symptoms aren’t always simple to identify, you should understand what to watch for. You may find yourself feeling disoriented, dizzy or unfocused. If you’re struggling to concentrate or experiencing a lot of headaches, fatigue and blurred vision after an accident, you’ll want to reach out for medical care. A medical evaluation at the scene may help to identify a concussion and help you to get treatment right away.
Soft Tissue Injury – Soft tissue includes various parts of your body, such as ligaments, muscles and tendons. The force of a car accident can damage all of these things. The pressure of the seat belt, impact with the air bag and other similar types of things can cause soft tissue damages. One of the most common is whiplash, which occurs when your neck muscles overextend due to the sudden movement of your neck and head in an accident. Pain, stiffness and inflammation in your neck and shoulders may not appear for a week or more after the accident.
A medical evaluation at the scene may help identify concussion signs and can help you determine your risk of soft tissue injuries. It’s important to get this evaluation so that your personal injury attorney has documentation for your potential court case. For more information about personal injury law and your rights after an accident, today. We have offices in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins.
