How Delayed Symptoms Can Impact Your Accident Injury Claim
After a car accident, it’s common to feel shaken up, but otherwise fine. However, not all injuries show up right away. Some symptoms can be delayed, surfacing days or even weeks after the accident.
These delayed symptoms can include things like headaches, neck pain, back pain, or even signs of a concussion. If left untreated or unreported, they can significantly affect your injury claim.
Why Delayed Symptoms Occur
When you’re in an accident, your body is flooded with adrenaline, which can mask pain and injury. Once the adrenaline wears off, you might start noticing discomfort or pain that wasn’t immediately apparent. Injuries like whiplash, soft tissue damage, or even internal injuries can take time to reveal themselves.
How Delayed Symptoms Affect Your Injury Claim
In Ohio, when filing a personal injury claim after an accident, you need to prove that your injuries were directly caused by the accident. If you don’t seek medical attention right away or don’t report symptoms when they first appear, insurance companies might argue that your injuries weren’t related to the accident or were less severe than you claim.
What You Can Do
Seek Medical Attention Immediately: Even if you feel fine, it’s important to get checked out by a doctor. They can identify any underlying injuries that might not be immediately obvious.
Document Your Symptoms: Keep track of any new symptoms that develop after the accident. Make notes about when they started, how severe they are, and how they impact your daily life.
Follow Up With Medical Professionals: Don’t ignore new or worsening symptoms. Follow up with your doctor and get the necessary treatment.
Communicate With Your Attorney: Make sure your attorney is aware of any delayed symptoms. They can help build a case that takes into account the full scope of your injuries, not just the immediate ones.
Real-World Example
Let’s say you’re in a car accident and initially feel fine. A few days later, you start to experience neck pain, but you assume it’s nothing serious. A month goes by, and the pain worsens, so you finally go to the doctor and find out you have whiplash. By this point, the insurance company might argue that your injury wasn’t caused by the accident, simply because too much time has passed since the crash.
If you had sought medical attention earlier and documented your symptoms, you would have a stronger case for your injury claim. This is why it’s so important to address delayed symptoms promptly.
Delayed symptoms are a common issue after car accidents, and they can greatly impact your injury claim if not handled properly. To protect your health and your rights, seek medical attention right away, document any new symptoms, and communicate openly with your attorney. This way, you can ensure that your injuries are fully accounted for in your claim.
