By Marcus Fernandez
Car crashes are common sights in Florida, where more than 391,164 accidents occurred last year that caused 248,958 injuries. Locally, in Hillsborough County, there were 12,146 injuries in 28,237 accidents. In this article we’ll look at some common unseen injuries from car accidents. Although they may at first go unnoticed, these unseen injuries can have serious and long-lasting symptoms.
Concussion
A concussion is a form of traumatic brain injury that can be caused by hitting your head. What makes the injury go unseen after an accident is that a concussion may be caused by the movement of your head during a crash without it making contact with any surface.
Rear-end collisions are known for causing concussions because the force of the impact propels the occupants forward and backward. The whipping motion may cause the brain to strike the inside of the skull and be damaged.
Symptoms of a concussion include:
- Headache
- Impaired speech
- Vomiting
- Memory loss
You may not experience symptoms immediately. But you should see a doctor for a neurological assessment to determine if you sustained a brain injury.
Whiplash
As the name implies, whiplash is caused by the whipping motion of your head and neck in a crash. Whiplash or neck strain is a soft-tissue injury that may cause only slight discomfort or stiffness. However, it is a serious injury that can cause pain and limited range of motion long after the accident.
See a doctor immediately after an accident if you feel any stiffness, pain or discomfort in your neck. If you have a whiplash injury, your doctor may recommend physical therapy to improve range of motion. Your doctor may also prescribe medications, such as muscle relaxers. Sometimes victims can brush this unseen injury off, thinking that it’s normal.
Unseen Internal injuries
An internal injury may remain unseen until the internal bleeding causes a life-threatening situation. The risk of suffering an internal injury and not being aware of it is why it’s essential to be examined either at the emergency department of a local hospital or by your own physician immediately after an accident.
Back and spine injuries
The forces exerted on your body in a car crash can cause serious injuries, including injuries to your back and spine. A spinal cord injury may not be immediately apparent, but if not properly treated, it may cause paralysis. If paramedics at the scene of an accident recommend that you go by ambulance to the hospital for treatment, do not refuse to go even though you do not feel as though it’s necessary.
Bone fractures
You might think that the pain from a broken bone would keep the injury from going unseen after a car accident, but your body responds to the shock and fear of a crash by producing adrenaline. One of the results of adrenaline coursing through your body may hide the pain.
Regardless of how you feel after a crash, seek medical treatment right away. An examination and X-rays can quickly determine whether you have a fracture.
Call a Tampa personal injury attorney
Getting a medical evaluation after a car accident serves two purposes. It will determine whether you sustained any hidden injuries in the crash, and it will establish a connection between the accident and the injuries to use later in case the defense attorney or insurance company for the at-fault party claims the injury was not caused by the accident. Learn more about your right to be compensated for your injuries during a free consultation with a Tampa car accident lawyer.
