Motor vehicle collisions are one of the top causes of catastrophic injuries in the United States. People frequently recognize warning signs of major injuries immediately after a crash. They may not be able to put weight on an injured body part or may not be able to exit a vehicle at all. They may bleed profusely and could require emergency medical intervention.
While people often recognize early warning signs of severe injuries, people can also overlook injuries that could have life-altering consequences. Those involved in crashes sometimes assess themselves and reach the wrong conclusion because their injuries aren’t obvious at first. For example, people with any of the three serious injuries below may require professional medical evaluation to reach an accurate diagnosis.
A traumatic brain injury
Medical professionals sometimes refer to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) as invisible injuries. Brain injuries do not necessarily produce any symptoms right after the crash. Instead, symptoms may slowly develop over multiple days as the pressure inside the skull caused by bleeding or inflammation increases. Symptoms can be vastly different from one case to the next, making self-diagnosis that much more difficult. People often require review by a health care professional to identify the signs of a TBI.
Stable fractures
Some broken bones are painful and visibly obvious. Other broken bones require specialized medical testing to diagnose. If the bone only breaks in one location and remains in place, people may be able to continue using injured body parts after a car crash. People sometimes mistakenly assume that their bones are uninjured specifically because they can still use a broken bone after a collision occurs. Stable fractures can become more painful over time and can suddenly worsen after exercise or mild secondary traumas.
Internal bleeding
When airbags deploy or seat belts hold someone into a vehicle during a crash, they can cause a degree of trauma to a person’s body. Those involved in major motor vehicle collisions may end up bleeding internally after a crash. Their injuries might continue to worsen and might even put their life at risk if they don’t receive appropriate care while dealing with internal bleeding. The possibility of invisible or overlooked injuries makes seeing a doctor highly valuable after a collision.
Obtaining an accurate diagnosis is often the first step toward treatment and obtaining financial compensation after a car crash. People should never assume that they are unhurt just because they don’t have immediate and obvious injury symptoms.