Car Accident Injuries That May Have Delayed Symptoms

Car accidents are common occurrences on Southern California roads and, thankfully, most do not involve serious injuries. Where a participant in a crash has an obvious injury, whether it be life-threatening or of a lesser degree, medical attention is quickly sought, often beginning at the scene of the accident. But there are car accident injuries that have delayed symptoms, which can have significant consequences for the injured victim.

Those who are able to walk away from a car accident may have nonetheless suffered some level of trauma to their body, which can be the source of delayed symptoms. Other types of harm, which may be referred to as latent injuries, simply do not manifest symptoms immediately in all cases. Some common examples include:

• Whiplash — This type of soft tissue injury results from a quick and typically violent back-and-forth movement of the head and neck.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI) — A closed head injury can result from the brain being pushed against the skull due to an impact or during back-and-forth movement of the head and neck.
• Spinal injury — Nerve damage can occur in the cervical spine due to whiplash. In addition, an impact can cause swelling and bleeding in other areas along the spinal cord.
• Internal injury — Organ damage, broken ribs and/or internal bleeding may result from the force of an impact against hard objects in the vehicle. Such injuries can also be generated by the weight of a driver or passenger being thrust against their seat belt during the collision.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) — A crash victim can suffer anxiety, depression, sleeplessness and a variety of other symptoms as the stress of the car accident is relived or remembered. It is not uncommon for PTSD to recur for an extended time after the accident occurred.

One reason why a victim may not seek medical attention is that there may only be aches and pains noticeable, which may be considered normal and expected after a car accident. However, car accident lawyers know better. Numbness, weakness, pain, bleeding, confusion and lack of mobility are symptoms not to be ignored. Left untreated, these injuries can lead to chronic, long-term medical conditions that can severely impact the life and well-being of the victim.

If you are injured in a car accident in California, your job is to recover as fully and quickly as possible. Our job at Patterson Law is to get you the compensation you deserve for your financial losses and for the suffering you have endured. We primarily serve clients in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties. Please contact us online or call {PHONE} for an initial consultation in our Santa Barbara office.