By Dan Noll on November 10th, 2024 in Articles, Car Accident, Semi-Truck Accidents
Hurt in a Vehicle Wreck? Springfield Car Accident Lawyers Share Delayed Injured Signs After a Truck or Car Accident
Although we are familiar with the catastrophic and immediately obvious injuries caused in car and truck accidents, the Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office know that there are also many delayed injuries too. Indeed, each year in the United States over 43,000 people lose their lives in motor vehicle accidents and approximately 4.5 million suffering serious injuries – but not all of those injuries are immediately apparent. Rather, some injuries may take days, weeks, or even months to manifest symptoms that could be a sign of a significant injury. Despite the delayed symptoms, such injuries could even be life-threatening, in the case of a brain bleed, or otherwise result in permanent disability, such as in the case of a spinal fusion. Illinois statistics reveal that this is an issue here too, as there are over 1,100 fatalities and almost 60,000 personal injuries occurring every year in our state – many victims who also do not have immediately obvious, but still very significant, personal injuries. Therefore, it is imperative that victims understand the delayed injury signs after a truck or car accident to protect their rights.
At the Noll Law Office, their well-trained legal team offers victims and their families free case evaluations and consultations to learn whether their delayed injuries may have been the result of a truck or car accident. Their experienced Springfield car accident lawyers know that some of the most catastrophic injuries and disabling injuries could indeed result in delayed injury signs, such as brain bleeds, spinal fusions, and organ injuries. If you or a loved one were involved in a motor vehicle accident and were recently diagnosed with a serious, disabling, or catastrophic injury, schedule a free consultation with the Noll Law Office to discuss whether you may be entitled to compensation by dialing (217) 414-8889.
What Constitutes a Delayed Injury?
There is not exact, legal definition of what constitutes a delayed injury. Rather, it is generally accepted that a delayed injury refers to some type of personal injury or medical condition that does not manifest immediate symptoms following an accident. These injuries can take hours, days, or even weeks to become apparent, making them particularly dangerous as victims might not seek prompt medical attention.
The shock and adrenaline released during a car or truck accident can mask pain and other symptoms, leading individuals to mistakenly believe they have escaped unharmed. Other times taking immediately pain medications could also block the minor aches and pains of an injury, which then rapidly accelerate and become more dangerous, devastating, and destructive.
Deadly Example of a Delayed Injury After a Truck Accident or Car Accident
A prime example is a brain bleed. All brain bleeds, no matter how minor, are medical emergencies. However, minor brain bleeds may not have many symptoms at all. Sometimes the only symptom is a long headache, which is a headache lasting over four hours. Other times there may be more minor symptoms such as weakness, soreness, nausea, confusion, and other inconvenient injuries that are common in all vehicle accidents. For more serious instances, there could be a dilation of one pupil in a person’s eye but not in the other, which is the classic tell-tale sign of a brain bleed.
Despite the minor symptoms, these could be deadly. Since the brain is a closed system, meaning that the skull and vertebrae column are protected by strong bone and a thick protective layer of covering (meninges), a brain bleed puts more liquid into that closed space. If the body cannot diffuse that extra fluid fast enough, it can increase intracranial pressure. That increase in pressure can damage structures in the brain and even the top of the spinal cord at the base of the skull, or foramen magnum.
It can take hours, days, or even up to a week for a small brain bleed to cause irreversible damage or death. However, that does not mean that a victim and his or her family cannot obtain compensation for this type of car accident in Illinois. There could also be a strong case for pain and suffering, particularly if it is determined that all four ventricles of the brain have blood inside of them, which further indicate a slow bleed but a painful one resulting in prolonged headaches and migraines.
Common Examples of Delayed Injuries
In addition to a brain bleed, some of the other delayed injury signs after a truck or car accident that all victims must be aware of could indicate a variety of different severe, disabling, and catastrophic injuries. Not all injuries are as severe as a brain bleed, which could be fatal, but they are still devastating and could still result in compensation for victims and their families.
Some of the most common examples of delayed injuries that the Springfield car accident lawyers at the Noll Law Office want you to be aware of include the following:
Whiplash and Neck Injuries
Whiplash occurs when the head suddenly jerks forward and backward, damaging the soft tissues in the neck. Symptoms may not appear for 24-48 hours after the accident but can lead to chronic pain and limited mobility if left untreated.
Very severe injuries to the spinal cord or spinal column could result in damage to the nerves, discs, and individual vertebra. As a result, this could impinge or damage the nerves coming off the spinal cord and going to the rest of the body (the peripheral nervous system). When those injuries do not heal or get better with time, a victim may require a spinal fusion which removes damaged discs and bone, and stabilizes the space between two vertebrae where the nerve comes out with painful hardware. As a result, the fixation prevents movement from impinging on the nerve, but in doing so it also restricts a victim’s movement and strength at the location of the fusion. This type of injury could show minor symptoms after an accident, but end up taking months or even a year or longer for a spinal fusion to be recommended by a doctor to fix the damage done by the car accident.
Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Brain injuries can be particularly deceptive, as symptoms might develop gradually. What seems like a mild headache could indicate a serious concussion or traumatic brain injury requiring immediate medical intervention. Sometimes a concussion can also take longer to manifest symptoms especially for a condition such as second-impact or post-concussion syndrome.
Internal Bleeding and Organ Injuries
One of the most dangerous delayed injuries, internal bleeding can go unnoticed for hours or days. Without visible external signs, victims might not realize the severity of their condition until it becomes life-threatening. This is particularly true when an organ is injured, such as the spleen or highly-vascularized pancreas, where bleeding injuries could cause permanent injury to the organ or damage to other organs inside the abdomen due to increased internal pressure.
Psychological Trauma
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression often develop days or weeks after an accident. These psychological injuries can be as debilitating as physical trauma and require professional treatment and are usually related to physical injuries. Indeed many emotional and psychological trauma such as PTSD or depression could become more debilitating as other physical injuries get worse and more disabling, including brain bleeds, spinal fusions, and other harm.
Still Not Sure of the Delayed Injury Signs After a Truck or Car Accident in Illinois? Call the Springfield Car Accident Lawyer at the Noll Law Office for Help
The aftermath of a car or truck accident can be complex, with injuries that may not be immediately apparent causing severe, disabling, and debilitating harm to victims and their families. Understanding the potential for delayed injuries and remaining vigilant for developing symptoms can make the difference between proper treatment and chronic health issues. This is particularly true because insurance carriers will often try to get you to accept a payment right away to cut off your rights to future compensation for delayed injuries.
Protecting both your health and legal rights requires prompt medical attention and proper documentation of all injuries, whether immediate or delayed. That’s why victims and their families need to call the Noll Law Office to speak with one of their experienced Springfield car accident lawyers. They can help you understand what your rights to compensation may be, even if you have delayed injuries. To learn more, schedule a free consultation with them today by dialing (217) 414-8889 or by emailing them today.