Florida vehicle accident injuries can range from mild and inconvenient to more serious and requiring hospitalization. Sometimes, a driver feels fine shortly after the crash although they are, in reality, injured. Here are some common signs of delayed injures that a driver can experience after a car accident.
Why do some injuries not show up immediately?
Delayed injury symptoms after an auto accident are often caused by a chemical called adrenaline, which masks pain. The production of adrenaline creates a “fight-or-flight” response from the body that enables people to escape from dangerous situations, such as crashed or burning vehicles.
During an adrenaline rush, the heart rate increases, breathing becomes rapid, strength increases and the body sweats, so it won’t feel pain. The adrenaline rush lasts until the body senses that the danger has passed, which is usually about an hour. A traumatic event also releases endorphins, chemicals that work similar to opioids, to reduce the pain and stress associated with the situation.
Symptoms of delayed injury and types
A headache is a common indicator of a delayed injury. Headaches usually subside in a few days after a car crash. However, a persistent headache could point to a more serious issue, such as a concussion, another type of traumatic brain injury or a neck injury.
Back pain can be a sign of soft tissue damage, sprains, strains, fractures, spinal cord injury or a herniated disc. Some other general indicators of delayed injury include:
- A decreased range of movement
- Numbness in the hands or feet
- Blurred vision
- Vomiting or nausea
- Trouble sleeping
- Cognitive issues
Different injuries have different symptoms and require specific treatment based on the type of injury. For example, besides the general symptoms, a concussion often causes sensitivity to light or noise, loss of awareness and balance issues. The impact of an accident could result in internal injuries, which may cause dizziness, fainting, coughing up blood and deep purple bruising.
An injured driver shouldn’t delay getting checked by a doctor regardless of how they feel. It’s important to get checked out after any crash, no matter how serious. Anyone injured will need to mitigate damages if they want to bring a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver.