Seeking Medical Attention After a Car Accident

Seeking Medical Attention After a Car Accident

Car accident statistics are staggering – with more than 90 people die every day in car accidents, and over 3 million people experience an injury each year. And of those 3 million people who get injured, roughly 2 million drivers experience some form of permanent damage because of their accidents. Common causes of these accidents are typically avoidable – including distracted driving, speeding, and reckless driving. And if you have been in an auto accident, you do not always realize you are injured right away.

Often, car accident victims do not realize that they have an injury – sometimes hours or even days after the crash. Whether or not you are experiencing immediate pain or not, you need to seek medical attention after a car accident. Making these choices early on will help you physically, mentally, and legally.

Why Are Injuries Often Delayed?

Whether they are minor or significant, car accidents are traumatic. It is common for car accident victims not to feel any pain after a car accident. When you experience a car crash, your body has a natural way to protect you from the crash’s trauma, and the science behind it involves endorphins or adrenaline. Our bodies release a surge of adrenaline, causing a “fight or flight” response when we experience something traumatic or dangerous. Adrenaline can cause various human preservation responses, including:

• Little to no pain
• Dilated airways and blood vessels to increase oxygen levels
• Increased energy/stamina 
• Changes in how we focus on sounds and sights

So, even if you experience a significant injury, adrenaline can cause you to feel no pain at all. Though with a sudden rush of adrenaline, some people can feel panicked or confused. Luckily, in conjunction with the adrenaline rush, the human body releases endorphins, helping a person feel calm or in control. Those endorphins also affect the way we respond to stress and pain.

Of course, once the adrenaline and endorphins wear off, and you can relax and reflect, you will start to feel the pain sustained from an injury. While experiencing emotional disorientation and mental trauma, many car accident victims do not notice injury symptoms. Symptoms become noticeable days after an accident.

Common symptoms include:

• Headaches (could indicate a concussion)
•  Numbness (an indicator of a whiplash injury)
• Swelling or pain (an indicator of internal bleeding)
• PTSD (common in children)
• Changes in personality (traumatic brain injury)

If you have been injured in an auto accident, give yourself the protection you need by hiring a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer who will get you the compensation you deserve. Of course, make sure that you see a doctor as soon as you can after your accident, and do not miss a single appointment in your treatment plan. Doing this will not only provide you with the care you need to heal, but it will be better for your case in the long run. Call One Law Group in Beverly Hills today at (844) 626-1529.