When you consider what a car accident actually entails, it is incredible that people often walk away from accidents completely unscathed. With thousands of pounds of metal and composite material colliding with great force, even low-speed accidents are powerful events that can cause great damage. Car design is continually improving, especially in the arena of occupant safety, but there is no design that would be able to completely eliminate injury from every accident.
After an accident, most people will do a quick physical inventory at the scene of the crash to determine if they have suffered any injuries. If pain is not present, most people assume that they have not been hurt. Unfortunately, injury symptoms will often manifest later in strange ways that signal damage. Here, we share with you some of the less obvious symptoms that may alert you to injuries that you may have sustained as a result of your wreck.
Pain Is Not the Only Important Symptom to Watch For After a Car Crash
Pain is synonymous with injuries, but after your car accident, using pain as your only indicator of an injury can lead you to possibly miss several important signs of serious physical harm. Below are some of the less recognizable symptoms of common car accident injuries:
- Dizziness or nausea. Common signs of whiplash injuries or concussions, dizziness and nausea are often disregarded as signs of stress, illness, or fatigue.
- Burning or itching. Burning and itching along your limbs, fingers and toes, shoulders, or neck can be a sign of nerve damage related to whiplash or other impact forces.
- Stiffness or compromised flexibility. While some stiffness may be normal after a stressful event, if it is pronounced or persistent, you may have injured soft tissues such as muscles, tendons, or ligaments.
- Numbness. Feeling nothing can be more serious than severe pain—it means that nerves have been damaged.
- Memory loss or trouble concentrating. While it may be normal to have a difficult time remembering the exact details of your car accident, severe whiplash or brain injury can affect your memory and concentration functions.
- Fatigue and sleep problems. Worrying about your accident may keep you up a bit at night, but if your sleep has been severely disturbed, you may have suffered a head injury.
- Depression or uncontrollable mood swings. Another symptom of a head injury, many people wrongly attribute strange moods and depression to stress.
Some of the most common car accident injuries include neck and back injuries, head injuries, and soft tissue injuries. These injuries are often responsible for many of the subtle symptoms listed above.
Strengthen Your Claim: Take These Next Steps After An Accident
Conditions are often worsened—and cases weakened—when accident victims wait too long to seek medical attention after a crash. If you have been in a car accident, don’t let pain be your only guide to wellness. Listen to other signals that you are receiving from your body. It could save your health as well as your injury settlement!
First, seek medical attention as soon as possible after an accident, and follow the instructions given to you by your doctor. Second, download a free copy of our guidebook to understanding how car accident claims work in Georgia.
Injured in a Wreck in Georgia or South Carolina? Contact Our Car Accident Attorneys for Help Today
If you were injured in an accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be eligible to recover damages and other compensation, but you need an experienced car accident attorney on your side. Our law firm is located in Augusta and protects the rights of injured victims throughout all of Georgia and South Carolina. We have a proven track record of securing favorable results, and we’d love to help you. Contact us online or call us directly at (706) 863-6600 for a free, no-obligation consultation.