Motor vehicle accidents have the potential to deal far more damage to a victim than one might expect. Even if a victim can walk away from an accident does not mean that there is not something more serious underneath.
More than 16,000 car accidents occur each year. Every day, people sustain injuries that they may not even know they have. If a victim does not get the proper treatment they need, their minor injury can quickly turn into a significant injury.
Joint injuries
Knees, elbows, ankles, and wrists can all seem a bit sore after an accident. The soreness may indicate a more severe injury that can threaten the function of the joint in later years. It is hard to recognize a torn meniscus with the naked eye.
Brain and spine injuries
Symptoms of dizziness or impaired motor function are more than just the consequences immediately following an accident. These can be signs of severe trauma to some of the most vulnerable areas of the body. Symptoms of these injuries may manifest months after the accident in the form of memory loss of mood swings.
Whiplash
The medical term for this injury is a “herniated disk.” When the neck or spine undergo severe trauma, the tissue in the vertebrae can suffer serious damage. The damage can then impact nearby nerves, cause incredible pain or loss of muscle control.
Psychological injuries
Because of how long it can take these injuries to develop, or how subtle they may be initially, even doctors may not catch these injuries in routine checkups following an accident. A victim can create a fear of driving or a phobia of encountering certain situations that are similar to the accident they experienced. These injuries can be as crippling as physical injuries.
Watch for symptoms
If anything seems irregular in a person after they experienced a car accident, take things seriously. Do not underestimate a sign of a significant unseen injury, and see a doctor about any suspicions.