What To Do When You Experience Delayed Pain After a Car Accident
Pain doesn’t always show up right away after a car accident. You might feel fine at first, only to develop stiffness, numbness, and pain hours or even days later. This delayed pain can be a sign of a serious injury.
Many injuries from car accidents may not be immediately apparent. If you have been involved in an accident that seemed minor but started feeling pain later, the first step is to seek medical care. Here’s what else you should do to protect your health and potential injury claim.
Why Is Pain Sometimes Delayed After an Accident?
A sudden, stressful event like a car accident can trigger your body’s fight-or-flight response. A sudden rush of adrenaline and other stress hormones increases your heart rate, widens your blood vessels, and boosts your stamina temporarily. It also reduces your pain sensitivity.
This survival mechanism allows you to react quickly to a dangerous situation like an accident. Adrenaline tells your body how to quickly reallocate resources to respond to danger and triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s painkiller. These neurotransmitters bind to pain receptors in the brain, much like opioids, inhibiting your ability to perceive pain.
As the adrenaline and endorphins wear off, you may experience trembling or shaking, lightheadedness, and a rush of emotions. While your body is no longer blocking pain, these new symptoms can be distracting and mask pain.
Pain and other symptoms of an injury may also be delayed because it takes time for the inflammatory response to an injury to manifest. This is particularly common with soft tissue injuries. A similar effect called delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) can happen after strenuous or unfamiliar exercise.
Internal bleeding is one of the most serious reasons for delayed symptoms from a crash. There may be no obvious symptoms of internal injuries until blood loss becomes life-threatening.
What To Do if You Experience Delayed Pain
If you start feeling pain after an accident, follow these steps to protect your health and your legal rights. Common types of injuries that can have delayed pain include whiplash, certain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), soft tissue injuries, internal bleeding, and more.
1. See a Doctor Right Away
Even if your pain seems minor, a doctor can check for hidden injuries. Delaying medical treatment can make injuries worse and weaken your personal injury claim.
2. Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
Stick to the treatment plan your doctor gives you. This could include rest, physical therapy, medication, or further tests. Not following medical advice could hurt your recovery and your ability to seek compensation.
3. Document Your Symptoms
Keep a record of your pain levels, symptoms, and how they impact your daily life. This can help your doctor with treatment and support your injury claim.
4. Avoid Talking to the Insurance Company Without Legal Advice
Insurance companies might try to downplay your injury or argue it wasn’t caused by the accident. If they call, don’t admit fault or downplay your pain. Do not accept any offer until you are sure you are uninjured or know the severity of your injuries. Instead, speak with a lawyer first.
5. Consult a Car Accident Lawyer
If another person caused your accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. A minor accident without serious injury typically doesn’t require hiring a lawyer. However, it may be in your best interest to speak with a car accident lawyer if you learn your injuries are more serious than you thought.
How Delayed Pain Can Affect Your Injury Claim
Insurance companies often argue that delayed pain means your injury wasn’t caused by the accident. They may even claim you are exaggerating or faking your injury because you seemed fine right after the crash. This is why early medical care and documentation are so important.
A lawyer can help gather medical evidence and expert opinions to prove your injury is real and was caused by the accident. They can also negotiate with the insurance company to seek the fair compensation you are entitled to. Contact a car accident attorney today for a free consultation to learn about your options.
Contact The North & South Carolina Car Accident Lawyers At Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys For Help Today
For more information, please contact our car accident lawyers in South Carolina and North Carolina at Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys to schedule a free consultation today.
We proudly serve York County, Lancaster County, and its surrounding areas in South Carolina:
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Rock Hill
212 E Black St, Rock Hill, SC 29730
(803) 324-7574
Open 24hrs
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Lancaster
204 A S Main St, Lancaster, SC 29720
(803) 902-7065
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Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Fort Mill
1201 Carolina Pl Suite 102D, Fort Mill, SC 29708
(803) 902-4045
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Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Lake Wylie
264 Latitude Ln #102A, Lake Wylie, SC 29710
(803) 902-3608
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We also proudly serve Mecklenburg County and its surrounding areas in North Carolina:
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Charlotte
1100 S Mint St #109, Charlotte, NC 28203
(980) 340-8620
Open 24hrs
