Decoding your injury symptoms days after an accident

After the crash, you were able to walk it off. Perhaps you gained a few scratches and dinged your vehicle, but for the most part you thought you were perfectly fine. However, a few days or weeks after the accident, you started to notice aches and pains that weren’t there before.

It’s common for accident injuries to have delayed symptoms. Although you only now feel different, the injuries could still be extremely serious. Pay close attention to a few symptoms that could reveal a much bigger problem.

Sore or stiff neck and back

Back and neck pain are very frequent symptoms after a crash. These delicate areas of the body protect your central nervous system and support your major muscles. Pain can take a while to show up, but it might signal that you have internal damage.

The impact may have given you displaced vertebrae, a slipped disc or a pulled muscle. In serious cases, you could have difficulty walking or suffer permanent nerve damage.

Headache, confusion, nausea or memory problems

These are signs of a possible concussion. A concussion is a brain injury that often results from whiplash in a crash. Normally, fluid protects your brain, but the force of a crash can slam your brain into a side of your head and essentially leave a bruise.

Depending on the severity and affected area, you may require medical examination and rest. Your doctor may restrict certain activities to give your brain a chance to heal.

Delayed injuries still crash-related

Some accident survivors don’t realize that although they discovered these injuries days after a crash, they are still connected to the incident. This fact is key because it can allow you to pursue compensation before settling insurance matters. Compensation can not only cover medical expenses to treat your injury, but it can also offer some recompense for the intense pain you had to endure.