At Ashby Thelen Lowry, our Georgia personal injury attorneys know that seeking medical care immediately after a collision is the only way to fully understand the extent of your injuries.
This is paramount to identifying and treating apparent injuries like a broken nose and injuries that are harder to see — or understand if you are not a physician. Although they may at first go unnoticed, unseen injuries can have severe and long-lasting symptoms.
Here, we discuss some of the most common unseen injuries that crash victims should consider.
What Types of Injuries Are Challenging to Pinpoint After a Georgia Vehicle Collision?
Concussions are some of the most commonly overlooked injuries that occur in Georgia car crashes. A concussion after a vehicle collision can be caused by a strike, blow, or jolt to the head that happens during the crash. Importantly, it can occur even without impact on the head. It can also be caused by the extreme force of the crash, which causes the head to whip violently forward and backward.
Symptoms of a concussion include, but are not limited to:
- Headache.
- Impaired speech.
- Memory loss.
- Vomiting.
Many crash victims confuse headaches or “brain fog” caused by a concussion with being upset or stressed from the crash; in reality, it could be a severe medical condition that impacts your daily activities and overall quality of life for long periods.
Whiplash is another often-overlooked collision injury. Whiplash is caused by your head and neck whipping in a crash. Whiplash or neck strain is a soft-tissue injury that may cause only slight discomfort or stiffness. However, it is a severe injury that can cause pain and limited range of motion long after the crash.
Another common unseen injury that may occur during traffic collisions includes an internal injury, including organ damage or bleeding that causes a life-threatening situation. The risk of suffering an internal injury and not being aware of it is why it’s essential to be examined in an emergency room or by your physician immediately after a crash.
Finally, the forces exerted on your body in a car crash can cause severe injuries to your back and spine. A spinal cord injury may not be immediately apparent, but if not properly treated, it could lead to significant or even permanent medical conditions.
Your body responds to the shock and fear of a crash by producing adrenaline, which may mask the pain of unseen injuries. Regardless of how you feel after a crash, seek medical treatment right away. An examination, X-rays, or an MRI can quickly determine whether you have any injuries that are not immediately apparent so you can get the care you need.
If you have been injured because of another driver’s negligence in Georgia, contact our skilled personal injury lawyers and support team at Ashby Thelen Lowry today at (404) 777-7771 to schedule a free consultation to ensure your rights are protected so you can make informed decisions about the direction of your claim.