Nobody aims to get into a car accident. When these collisions occur, it is easy to feel upset, rattled, and scared. Fortunately, not all car accidents end in injuries, and many individuals walk away from their accidents virtually unscathed.
However, this is not always the case. Car accidents do sometimes cause injuries. While some of them are minor, accidents can cause severe damage. What’s more, not all injuries are immediately apparent. While some are evident from the time of the collision, others appear more gradually or after time has passed. This means that you could be suffering the consequences of a simple fender bender for years afterward.
You must be aware of potential injuries following a car accident, so you can be on the lookout for signs and symptoms that something is wrong. We’ve assembled some common car accident injuries and how to quickly identify them.
- Spinal Cord Injuries Injuries to the spinal cord are often severe. This part of our body is central to how the entire body functions, so damage to it affects more than one area. The signs of spinal cord injuries include:
- Loss of motion in an area of the body
- Tingling in an area of the body
- Loss of feeling in an area of the body
- Paralysis
If the accident affects your back or spine, it is important to see a doctor right away.
- Brain Injuries Brain injuries are also serious, but unlike spinal cord injuries, they are not always so. There are fortunately mild examples of brain injuries that often are not life-threatening. Symptoms of a mild brain injury include:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Fatigue or unusual drowsiness
- Dizziness
- Speech problems
Again, immediate medical attention is required even for minor brain injuries.
More severe brain injuries can be permanent and even fatal. The symptoms for these include:
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizures
- Pupil dilation
- Loss of coordination
- Loss of feeling in extremities
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Coma
These all need immediate medical attention.
- Broken Bones The fortunate part about broken bones is that they are generally easy to diagnose. Intense pain, swelling, and bruising characterize these injuries, and the individual is often inspired to seek help due to the pain. Many times, broken bones heal completely.
- Whiplash Whiplash is a common result of car accidents because they often involve sharp, sudden movements. What is unfortunate about whiplash is that it does not always appear immediately.Pain and soreness can develop over time, and many sufferers find that their symptoms are slow to show up. This means that many people give statements to insurance companies before they realize that they have an injury for which they should be compensated.
- PTSD PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is a frequent result of car accidents. When individuals get into accidents, their bodies recognize the danger that was presented. As a result, they have visceral, uncontrollable aversions to riding in cars and often flashbacks and nightmares about the event.Many times, individuals don’t talk about their PTSD experience because there is a stigma associated with the condition. However, millions of people have PTSD, and it is treatable. If you have suffered from PTSD following an accident, you should receive financial support so that you can seek proper medical attention and heal quickly.
Talking to Insurance Companies
It may seem counterintuitive, but one of the worst things you can do after a car accident is to speak with an insurance adjuster. These individuals are trained to avoid costly payouts, so they will go to extreme lengths to get you to admit fault in your case. Unfortunately, even your own insurance company does not want to pay for your medical treatment and will ask underhanded questions to get you to forfeit your rights.
Seek Medical Attention
If you can, it is best to seek medical attention before discussing your experience with an insurance company. This ensures that you get proper care and attention for your condition but leaves room for your attorney to build your case and force the insurance company to pay. Medical attention also creates a paper trail of evidence tying your injuries to the accident. Believe it or not, many insurance companies attempt to claim that the injuries you are suffering were pre-existing or due to another event rather than take responsibility.
Contact an Attorney
One of your top priorities after an accident should be contacting an attorney. A lawyer will be able to help you build a case and ensure that you are not held financially responsible for medical bills and car repair bills from an accident that was not your fault.
An attorney can also give statements to insurance companies on your behalf. Because we have experience with legal minutia, we know how to identify the tactics that your insurance company is using to evade responsibility. From years of practice, we have developed ways to give honest statements to these companies without forfeiting your right to a settlement.
With an attorney on hand following an accident, you are more likely to get the financial support that you deserve. We fight on your behalf so that your medical care for the above conditions is not your responsibility.
My SoCal Lawyers Can Help
When it comes to diligent, tenacious legal representation, you cannot do better than our team at My SoCal Lawyers. With nearly a century of combined experience, we give our clients the incredible opportunity to fight back against insurance companies that wish to take advantage of them. We know that the injuries listed above and other injuries not listed have a significant impact on victims of car accidents. This is why we made it our life’s mission to seek justice and reparations for those who have been harmed in collisions. No other firm in Southern California can give you the unique resources and experience that we can.
We want you to have a second chance at life following your collision injury.
For more information about our firm or to schedule a consultation, please contact us online via our website today.
