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Don’t ignore nagging pain after a car accident

After a car accident, there is a chance that you could feel pretty good. Even though you’ve just been involved in a collision, your body will have released chemicals to keep you alert and mobile. This is part of the fight or flight response, which is good in the moment but potentially harmful in the hours and days to come.

One of the big issues that people run into after an auto accident is that they don’t realize that they’re injured. Their injuries may not be very serious in that moment, but over time, they may worsen. For example, the initial strike to your head might not have caused significant bleeding, but as the swelling and blood combines and places pressure on the brain, you may develop more significant symptoms.

Don’t think you’re okay just because you feel fine after a crash

It is a mistake to think that you’re totally fine even though you’ve just been in a collision. There are injuries known as delayed-onset injuries that may develop over the next 24 hours or longer. Like the delayed-onset of the brain injury mentioned above, delayed-onset injuries may slowly worsen over the next day or two until you find yourself dealing with a serious health problem or significant pain.

What do you need to do if you’re involved in a collision?

When you are involved in a crash, your priority should be to seek medical attention even when you’re not sure that you got hurt. If your airbag deployed or you were traveling at a higher speed when you were hit, it’s more likely that you do have injuries that will need attention.

At the hospital or your doctor’s office, the medical team will go over what happened and perform a physical exam. They’ll also order imaging tests and bloodwork if needed so that they can be sure that you’re healthy before sending you home. If there is a problem, catching it and treating the problem before it begins to cause serious symptoms may help minimize the complications from the injury overall.

Don’t be afraid to look into getting medical care. You have the option of making a claim against the at-fault party for your personal injury.