Injuries from a car accident are not always immediate. In fact, it is not uncommon for their to be delayed injury symptoms 24 to 48 hours following a car accident. In this blog, we discuss some of the most common injuries that typically have delayed pain and symptoms, as well as the reasons why these injuries might have delayed symptoms.
Types of Delayed Injuries
Car accidents can be serious and even life-threatening, so you should always seek medical attention as the victim of one. You may suffer a wide range of injuries from a car accident, and they may not always present themselves right away. Several common injuries typically don’t exhibit symptoms right away.
1. Whiplash
One of the most common causes of neck pain after an accident is whiplash. Whiplash occurs when a crash forces the neck and skull to move rapidly back and forth or side-to-side and can tear many delicate structures in the neck including:
- Muscles
- Ligaments
- Tendons
- Facet joints
- Nerves
Common symptoms of whiplash are:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Trouble sleeping
- Neck pain
- Stiffness
- Shoulder pain
- Swelling
2. Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries refer to damage done to muscles, tendons, ligaments, and nerves. Similar to whiplash, the body’s natural inflammatory response protects these muscles upon impact and can hide the symptoms for days. Some common examples of soft tissue injuries include sprains (which are tears in ligaments), and strains (which are tears in muscles and tendons). Symptoms of soft tissue injuries are:
- Weakness
- Bruising
- Swelling
- Pain or tenderness at the injury site
- Redness or warmth at the injury site
- Muscle spasms
- Cramping
- Limited range of motion
3. Back and Spinal Injuries
One of the most serious injuries you can suffer in a car accident is damage to your spinal cord or vertebrae. A herniated disc is a common back injury that typically does not present with symptoms until the herniated disc gradually applies pressure on the surrounding nerves. This injury may not cause you pain for days, but should always be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible. You never want to ignore the risk of a spinal cord injury that could leave you permanently paralyzed. Symptoms of a herniated disc include:
- Neck pain
- Lower back pain
- Soreness and stiffness
- Limited range of motion or mobility
- Sharp pain when moving or coughing
- Redness or warmth at the injury site
- Pain or tenderness at the injury site
- Muscle spasms or cramping
- Numbness or tingling
4. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
TBIs occur when the brain is shaken around in the skull. The rapid movement that a car accident causes may lead to your brain being slammed against the wall of your skull. If this happens, it can cause internal bleeding, bruising, and damage to brain tissue. In fact, some cognitive symptoms of a brain injury may take several days to manifest because of the location of the damage inside the brain. Symptoms of a TBI should not be ignored and are as follows:
- Headache
- Emotional changes
- Fatigue or weakness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Loss of memory (amnesia)
- Decreased consciousness
- Blurry or double vision
5. Concussions
Though they are a mild form of TBI, concussions should never be ignored. Like more serious TBIs, the symptoms of a concussion may be delayed by up to a few days. While the loss of consciousness at the scene of the accident is typical, other symptoms such as confusion and headaches may take weeks or even months to appear. As they are common in car accidents when a victim’s head slams against the airbag or steering wheel, everyone should be aware of common concussion symptoms to look out for:
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Emotional changes
- Confusion or disorientation
- Fainting or losing consciousness
- Temporary memory loss (amnesia)
- Pain at the base of the skull
- Nausea and vomiting
Contact a Central Kentucky Car Accident Lawyer Today
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Contact McCoy & Sparks, PLLC, your Central Kentucky car accident lawyers at 1-844-4KY-WINS or fill out our online form to set up a free consultation. Our offices are located at 212 W. Stephen Foster Ave. in Bardstown, Kentucky.