Experiencing a car accident is always dangerous, even when the impact of a collision is relatively minor. Many of us are so familiar with driving and riding in traffic that it is easy to forget how forceful a car accident is. In many cases, a victim may suffer injuries that they do not recognize at first, including head injuries, organ damage, and nerve and spinal damage.
After you experience a car accident, it is wise to have your doctor or some other qualified medical professional give you a full medical examination. Not only does this create important medical documentation that can protect your rights later on, it may also identify injuries before you feel them.
Spine injuries are not always painful… at first
Spine injuries can cause major complications for victims that may last for many months or years without proper treatment as early as possible. For many car accident victims, these injuries are not painful when they first occur, and may not cause pain for several days or longer.
The impact of a car accident may cause significant compression in a victim’s spinal column, which may fracture bones or hemorrhage other parts of the spine. This can limit a victim’s mobility, and over time may pinch or sever nerves.
The spinal column carries all of the nerves from the base of the brain, through the spinal column, then out to every other part of the body. When spinal damage occurs, these nerves may easily get pinched or cut entirely.
Pinched or severed nerves may produce general or specific pain, aching, burning, tingling or numbness. Without proper treatment, these conditions may continue indefinitely.
Protecting yourself after an accident
After any car accident, you must protect yourself and your rights. It is not always clear whether or not you suffered an injury, and many people assume that they are injury-free if they do not feel any pain or see signs of injury, like bleeding. To protect your health and legal rights, be sure to seek out a complete medical examination immediately.
You may find injuries that require treatment, and these injuries may be the responsibility of some other party, which is common after an accident. With high-quality legal tools and guidance, you can use the strength of the law to protect yourself while you recover, keeping your rights and personal well-being secure.