If you have been in a truck crash in Homestead or South Florida, you may know you’re injured right away. Broken bones and many serious injuries result in obvious physical trauma and considerable pain. You may be rushed to the hospital right away.
Sometimes, however, you may think you have been lucky to walk away from a truck collision uninjured—only to learn later that’s not the case. Some injuries can be subtle and sneaky, only appearing hours, days, or even weeks after the crash. These injuries include:
Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash
Soft tissue injuries include injuries to tendons, joints, and ligaments. One of the most common soft tissue injuries in a truck accident can be whiplash, which is an injury to the beck area caused by the violent motion of the vehicle during a crash.
Soft tissue injuries can cause reduced mobility, swelling, and pain. They can be debilitating, but in some cases injured motorists and passengers may not notice any symptoms until days, weeks, or months after their crash. X-rays and other tests may not show soft tissue injury, which can make proving these injuries more difficult.
Head injuries
Head injuries such as concussions and traumatic brain injury can cause symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Sometimes, patients don’t notice any symptoms until hours after an accident—or even later. Head injuries can be life-threatening, even in cases where no symptoms are present right away. Head injuries can also cause life-long effects, including memory loss and seizures, among other challenges. If there is any chance you may have hit your head, visit a doctor immediately after your collision.
Emotional trauma
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can cause personality changes, difficult concentrating, and emotional upheaval. Traffic accidents are one of the main causes of PTSD and symptoms may be subtle and may start days or weeks after a crash. Sufferers may notice changes in sleeping or eating habits, irritability, and other symptoms.
Spinal cord injuries
Slipped discs and herniated discs can cause severe pain and mobility problems, but sometimes symptoms don’t develop until weeks or months after a crash. Back pain can be especially difficult to detect and treat and can lead to chronic pain disorders or loss of sensation.
Since some injuries are not easy to detect and may create symptoms only some time after your collision, it is important to visit a doctor for a full evaluation after your accident. Getting a medical opinion can help start documentation so you can prove your injuries were caused by your traffic crash. The fact that some injuries are so hard to detect is also another reason to see an attorney. Without a personal injury attorney, you may settle with your insurance company quickly and for less than you deserve. If you notice symptoms over time and find out you are more injured than you first thought, you may have little recourse to secure more compensation for your medical bills.
A personal injury attorney can review the specifics of your crash with you and can make sure you get the proper medical evaluation to prevent surprises down the road. An attorney can also seek out the best compensation for you, so you have the money to replace lost wages, pay for medical bills and pay for the other costs of your crash. If you’d like to speak to a personal injury attorney in Homestead, Hollywood, Miami, or anywhere in Southern Florida, contact Flaxman Law Group for a free accident consultation.