Hidden Injuries after a Car Accident in Orlando

Car accidents are dramatic events, and most victims will know immediately that they have been injured. You might feel blinding pain in your neck or back, or a fractured bone causing you to lose consciousness as you sit in your car. However, some injuries after a car accident take time to develop. These delayed car accident injuries still leave thousands of motorists stuck at home or in the hospital because the pain is too great. At JustCallMoe, our Orlando car accident lawyers will review whether you can request financial compensation for hidden injuries after a car accident.

Common Hidden Injuries after a Car Accident

Some of the more common delayed car accident injuries include:

• Whiplash: This is a soft-tissue injury involving the muscles and tendons in the neck. After a collision, a motorist’s head can whip back and forth, stretching and possibly tearing the soft tissues. In the ensuing days, a motorist can suffer intense headaches and neck stiffness, which are hallmarks of whiplash.
• Back sprain or strain: A back sprain occurs when the ligaments in the back are twisted, torn, or stretched. Ligaments connect bones, and traumatic accidents can “wrench” a person’s back, putting stress on the ligaments. A back sprain is similar, with the muscles or tendons injured.
• Concussion: One misconception is that you only suffer a concussion if you immediately lose consciousness. That’s not true. You can still suffer a serious traumatic brain injury if you never pass out. Further, you can suffer brain injuries even if you don’t strike your head on something. Instead, violent shaking can damage parts of the brain, leading to common concussion symptoms: memory loss, blurred vision, impaired movement, and disrupted sleep. Some motorists only develop these symptoms after a day or two.
• Complex regional pain syndrome: This is a complicated medical condition that stems from the body’s reaction to an injury. Typically, the pain is much more intense than we would expect given the injury suffered. Symptoms include throbbing pain, burning, as well as increased sensitivity. Affected joints might also be stiff. This is one of the harder injuries after a car accident to diagnose.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder: PTSD is a behavioral condition after a traumatic event. Victims suffer from intrusive thoughts, recurring nightmares or “flashbacks” to the event, and avoidance. Some people are unaware they are struggling with PTSD. Help is available, including treatment for common symptoms (like anxiety) but also behavioral therapy to get at the root of the problem.
• Internal organ damage: These are also invisible injuries. You could suffer a serious bowel injury due to the lap belt cutting into your abdomen, or you bruise an organ in your chest when the belt presses on your sternum.

How to Document Hidden Injuries after a Car Accident

Immediately after an accident, many victims feel “okay.” Often, they are focused on the recent collision and therefore do not even realize they are hurt. They don’t feel any pain because they are distracted. Only in the days following the accident do they realize something is wrong.

There are steps you can take to fully document injuries after a car accident:

1. Go to the hospital to have diagnostic tests performed. A doctor might order an MRI to see what is wrong internally or an X-ray to see if you’ve fractured a bone. These medical records help prove that you were hurt after a car accident. It’s never too late to go to the hospital. Often, motorists delay because they feel “fine” right after a crash, but you should go as soon as you suspect something is wrong.
2. Tell your doctor you were injured in a car accident. Tell them the day and time of the accident. This information is critical to share with your medical provider.
3. Write down how you feel. Pain and mental anguish don’t normally show up on imaging tests. However, you can document how you are feeling by keeping a journal. You should not each day how you feel physically, where you feel pain, and your mood.
4. Keep prescription medication bottles. These will show what medication you took to manage pain, sleeplessness, depression, or anxiety. We believe that they are effective pieces of evidence.

Contact JustCallMoe if you have any questions. We can advise you about how best to document injuries that are delayed.

Why These Are Difficult Cases

One common complication with delayed car accident injuries is that the other side will claim you are exaggerating or making things up. This is a common response when a client is struggling with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome or PTSD. The other driver’s insurance carrier will allege you are exaggerating your pain and aren’t hurt. And as proof, they will point out you didn’t go immediately to the hospital.

Get the help of an experienced Orlando car accident lawyer. Our firm can jump in and document your injuries and how they have affected your life. Delayed car accident injuries deserve compensation. The fact that a day or two elapsed before you went to the hospital should not result in a delayed claim. Thousands of people suffer injuries that may not immediately manifest. We can push back against any allegation that you are lying or exaggerating your suffering.

Call us as soon as possible. We have negotiated with many of the largest insurance companies in Florida. Accident victims should immediately access personal injury protection (PIP) benefits.

However, if your injuries are serious, we can also file a liability claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier.

Speak with an Orlando Car Accident Lawyer about Your Case

Were you hurt in a car wreck but your injuries were delayed? Do not settle for a low offer of compensation. Instead, hire a law firm with the resources to negotiate a favorable settlement.

JustCallMoe is proud to have served the Orlando community for years, and we know the toll car wrecks take on families. In a free consultation, we’ll discuss your accident and your injuries, including why you didn’t immediately go to the hospital.