Being involved in a car crash – even at low speeds – can be a harrowing experience, but if the dust settles and you don’t notice any open wounds or blood, you may assume that you avoided major injury. Unfortunately, that’s not always true. Car accidents can lead to a number of different injuries that aren’t always noticeable to the average person because they don’t present with some obvious physical symptoms. These types of injuries are oftentimes referred to as invisible injuries.
Not only can invisible injuries be severe, but they can also lead to complications for your injury award because sometimes the individual will not seek out medical care right away if their injuries aren’t obvious. Below, we take a closer look at five of the most common invisible injuries after a car accident.
Invisible Injuries After A Car Accident
These five common car accident injuries aren’t always easy to recognize following a crash. We always advise that you seek medical clearance from a professional following any type of car accident, because you may be missing the signs of these injuries.
1. Concussion – A concussion is a type of brain injury caused by trauma to the head area, which you may experience during a car accident. A concussion can leave you with a number of not-so-obvious symptoms, like headaches, nausea, sensitivity to light and balance problems to name a few. Symptoms of these conditions may not be apparent to an untrained observer. Remember, you don’t need to lose consciousness in order to suffer a concussion.
2. Whiplash – Whiplash involves the stretching and tearing of muscles and other soft tissues in the neck region. This type of injury is especially common in rear end collisions where your head violently snaps back and or forward. Again, there is oftentimes no clear fracture or open wound in whiplash cases, so many people may not think much of their neck pain, especially because adrenaline can mask pain symptoms during moments of high stress. Untreated whiplash can lead to chronic neck pain, so even if the discomfort in your neck is only mild, have it examined by a professional.
3. Internal Bleeding – Just because you’re not bleeding outside of your body does not mean that the accident has not caused a bleeding issue. If your internal organs suffer significant trauma, it can lead to internal bleeding that can be life threatening. If you are feeling lightheaded, weak, are vomiting or experienced a significant blow to your body during the crash, have a doctor confirm there is no internal bleeding.
4. Depression, Anxiety or PTSD – In Minnesota, you can be compensated if a car accident led to any of the mentioned mental health issues. These issues may not show up right away and it will be difficult to prove that these injuries are present and tied to the accident, but it’s not impossible, especially with an experienced team of injury lawyers in your corner like the ones you’ll find at Hey Workers.
5. Spinal Disc Problems – Your vertebrae are separated by spinal discs that help to disperse stress and provide mobility to the column. These discs are great at handling stress, but if they are overloaded in a moment of acute stress like what you may experience during a car accident, they can shift out of place or rupture. Pain can be chronic or become more noticeable during certain movements or activities, so seek out an evaluation right away if you notice new pain or an uncomfortable sensation in your spine after an accident.
Invisible injuries need to be documented by a professional in order for you to be able to pursue compensation for things like lost wages or medical expenses. Even if you believe you are injury free, confirm your suspicions by connecting with a professional to ensure that something more serious isn’t causing trouble. For more information about getting these injuries documented and filing a car accident injury claim in Minnesota, reach out to the team at Hey Workers today at (844) 439-9675.
