In severe car accident instances, victims may sustain immediate and apparent injuries that require emergency medical services. However, it’s more common for accident victims to be unaware of their injuries right away. The shock of the collision can initially mask the severity and perception of your injuries. Some injuries may not appear for hours, days, or even weeks. Other injuries, like internal bleeding, don’t have obvious symptoms.
It’s not exactly clear why some people experience their injuries right away while others do not. But whatever the case, specific injuries take more time to appear.
Types of Injuries That Can Have a Delayed Onset
Immediate injuries usually prompt crash victims to seek medical treatment a few hours or shortly after the accident. However, it’s possible not to notice injury symptoms hours, days, or weeks after the crash. Therefore, it’s essential to see a doctor immediately after the accident, even if you don’t feel any noticeable pain or injury right away. If you can get one promptly, make an appointment or go to the emergency room. Time is of the essence as delayed onset injuries or those with indistinct symptoms, like internal bleeding, can be life-threatening.
Here are some injuries that may take time to appear or may not have obvious signs after a car accident:
- Internal bleeding – can take anywhere from 24 hours to 3 days for symptoms to appear after a car accident.
- Bruising – usually take hours or days to appear. Bruises are generally mild and heal on their own, but severe bruising can mean something more serious.
- Concussions – concussions can take hours, days, or weeks to appear. Concussions are brain injuries that need to be treated by a doctor.
- Whiplash – Whiplash is the most common neck injury resulting from car accidents. Symptoms usually take days or weeks to appear after a crash.
- Neck and back injuries – slipped or herniated discs, muscle strains, and other injuries to the neck or back could take days or weeks to appear.
- Chronic widespread pain – widespread chronic pain is often obvious immediately after the accident but can get progressively worse. Sometimes pain can even last for years after the collision.
- Mental health conditions – serious car accidents can lead to anxiety, depression, or PTSD. These mental health conditions can be debilitating and take time to appear.
Internal Bleeding After a Car Crash: Don’t Ignore the Warning Signs
A car crash will have a tremendous impact on the vehicle and its occupants. Imagine how damaging the force that can shatter glass and crumple metal can be to our bodies. Incredibly enough, the human body can absorb much of this force and walk away with only minor bruising and lacerations. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
The body doesn’t have unlimited durability. As discussed above, car accidents can cause serious injuries that take time to appear. The accident can shatter bones, rupture internal organs, strain muscles, or sprain joints in more extreme cases. The pain that comes with these injuries is not fun but serves as a vital survival mechanism. It signals to our bodies that something is wrong and that we need medical attention.
Even scarier than injuries with delayed symptoms are those that only present unobvious or no symptoms at all. In such cases, collision victims may not even realize that their health is in serious jeopardy or that they are injured. Likewise, they may not know that the condition worsens while they feel nothing. They could be worry-free and symptom-free for hours or even days until something dramatic signals an internal injury.
This is usually the process that leads up to people discovering that they have internal bleeding after an accident.
What Are the Signs of Internal Bleeding?
Internal bleeding is one of the direct consequences of trauma. Sometimes, victims of internal bleeding may have other, more obvious injuries. Those injuries with physical signs will prompt the injured person to go to the emergency room.
But other times, the injured person may not have any symptoms of internal bleeding and therefore not seek medical attention. This is a scenario where severe internal bleeding can be potentially deadly. When the bleeding is unknown or undiscovered, it will continue under the radar. As a result, the victim will continue bleeding internally, leading to dangerously low blood pressure and possibly unconsciousness. The result can be fatal if left untreated for too long.
The symptoms of internal bleeding can start very subtle but become more evident over time. The signs will vary depending on where the bleeding is and the injury severity. Whatever the case, everyone should be aware of these signs of internal bleeding:
- Abdominal pain or swelling that gets worse over time.
- Severe and chronic fatigue
- Blood in urine or stools
- Vomiting blood
- A deep, flat, purple bruise, called ecchymosis, occurs from escaped blood from the tissues to ruptured vessels.
- Pale complexion
- Feeling cold
- Dizziness, light-headedness, or fainting
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Difficulty concentrating
- A persistent and painful headache
- Low blood pressure
- Loss of consciousness
What to Do if You Suspect Internal Bleeding
If you suspect you have internal bleeding after being involved in a traffic accident, you should be evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible. As the signs of internal bleeding can be subtle and easily missed, it can pose a severe risk to the victim. Your life and health could be in danger if you do not get diagnosed and treated early on for internal bleeding. Once you’ve received the appropriate and necessary medical care, contact a Denver personal injury lawyer to discuss your case.
See It Through With an Experienced Denver Personal Injury Lawyer
If you or a loved one has suffered internal bleeding or other injuries, the last thing you probably want to do is deal with a legal battle. However, once your injuries allow, contact a competent, seasoned lawyer as this can ultimately spell the difference between the success or failure of your case. Make sure you find the right attorney who can represent you fully and fairly. That way, you can focus on recovering and regaining good health.
Our skilled car accident attorneys will also work with medical experts to establish the accurate cost of your current and future medical expenses. You deserve to obtain the full and fair financial compensation owed to you if you received injuries from a car accident.
Contact us today for a free initial consultation. We will happily discuss your legal rights and fight to win you the total compensation you deserve.
