Delayed Pain After an Accident
If you’ve ever been involved in a car accident, you know firsthand how startling and traumatizing it can be. You have adrenaline pumping through your body, and at the same time, you’re expected to get yourself and others to safety, assess your situation, exchange information with the other driver, while also documenting evidence for insurance claims.
This is a lot to contend with, and it’s only natural to feel overwhelmed and not truly take it all in for hours, days, or weeks after the incident. What’s also true is that you can suffer from delayed pain from an accident like this. If this has happened to you, you may be asking, “What type of injuries can lead to delayed pain?” or “Can I still file a personal injury claim if my pain was delayed?”
For answers to these questions and more, call us at Tormey & McConnell for help in Canyon, Dumas, Pampa, Hereford, Childress, Borger, and Amarillo, Texas.
Injuries That May Result in Delayed Pain
Injuries, especially those after a traumatic event like a car accident, can often be delayed, which can make getting treatment complicated. Among others, these injuries can include:
Whiplash
Torn ligaments
Bruised muscles
Internal bleeding
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Concussions
Spinal injury
Herniated disc
Brain injury
Because there are so many injuries that won't immediately show up, you should always seek medical attention after a car accident, even if you don’t feel obviously injured.
Delayed Symptoms to Watch For
Back pain: This is seen most often with side- and rear-impact crashes and can result in muscle or ligament damage.
Neck and shoulder pain: This happens most commonly with whiplash injuries and can even happen when traveling at speeds under 15 mph.
Abdominal pain: This can indicate internal bleeding and may occur in car accident victims who were riding in the front seats and may have been injured by a steering wheel or dashboard.
Numbness: If you feel a tingling or numbness in your body, especially in the spine or neck, this could indicate larger problems that need medical attention.
Personality or mood changes: These can be some of the hardest to detect since you’ll still be recovering from the stress of the accident, but any symptoms such as memory loss, the inability to concentrate, dizziness, or serious emotional shifts should be seen by a doctor immediately as these can be an indication of a concussion or other brain injury.
Headaches: Headaches are also a common sign of concussion, brain injury, or blood clots in the brain.
Time Limit on Filing a Personal Injury Claim
Each state is allowed to set its own regulations on how and when personal injury claims can be filed following accidents, and the statute of limitations in Texas is typically two years. This means that any lawsuits must be filed with the courts no later than two years after the incident. At first, this may seem like more than enough time, but you may be surprised how fast this will go by. Consider the fact that you may first have to file insurance claims against your own policy and the policy of the other driver and wait until these settlements are finalized before you can begin any litigation. Additionally, you will also have to gather and organize many pieces of evidence to support your case.
The best step you can take when pursuing compensation for injuries is to hire an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible so they can advise you on your next steps and ensure you stay ahead of any deadlines that could impact the amount of damages you’re able to receive.
Don’t Settle With the Insurance Company Too Quickly
Another major consideration to take into account when pursuing compensation for an injury is how difficult it can be to deal with the insurance companies. Insurance adjusters are well-known for pressuring accident victims into accepting settlements too soon and without enough time to properly assess the level of damage caused. Nowhere is this more true than in cases of delayed pain and injuries.
An adjuster may call you to try to get you to accept a settlement within a week of the accident because they’re trying to close out your case as fast as possible and move on to the next. However, if you haven’t yet been fully evaluated by a doctor or given yourself some time to determine whether you have recovered, you won’t know the true extent of your current and future medical expenses. If you settle too soon, you could be left footing the bill for months or even years to come because you didn’t know how much you were actually hurt.
Learn About Your Legal Options
When you work with our firm, Tormey & McConnell in Amarillo, Texas, you know you’ll be gaining a trusted partner as you pursue the compensation you deserve. We know how hard it can be to navigate this process, and we’re committed to doing everything we can to help. Call us today to schedule a consultation.