Long Term Effects of Car Accidents

After suffering an injury in a car accident, an individual may not immediately feel those physical effects. In many cases, it could be weeks or months before a person experiences any symptoms. Encountering generalized pain, limited mobility, headaches, and other painful symptoms could be signs of serious injuries. With any accident, an individual needs to seek immediate medical care. Without medical assistance, it could be challenging to recover after an accident.

The rate at which these physical issues develop depends on a few factors, such as the victim’s position at impact and the other vehicle’s speed. According to the Mayo Clinic, whiplash is often cited as one of the most common injuries in a car accident, resulting in small tears around the ligaments in the neck. Usually, the pain does not develop until a couple of days following the crash. This type of accident can remain painful for several weeks or months. Some short-term injuries include:

• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Headaches
• Neck stiffness or pain
• Shoulder or arm pain
• Mid- or low-back pain
• Reduced range of motion in the arms, shoulders, or neck

Experiencing a car accident can leave the crash victims looking for answers and struggling to meet their financial obligations because of the physical injuries. Reach out to Chuck Franklin of Chuck Franklin Law to discover your legal options.

Long-Term Injuries from a Car Accident

Unfortunately, car accident injuries can last for weeks, months, or even years. Even with the best care, the medical outlook might be devastating for those injured in a crash. Here are some of the most common long-term effects of car accidents.

Head Injuries

Concussions often stem from a car accident and are considered one of the most serious injuries. When the head moves back and forth at a high rate of speed, it can lead to severe medical consequences. However, these injuries may not be apparent until several hours or days later. Generally, there are two types of head injuries: concussions and traumatic brain injuries. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an object pierces the skull or a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain.

Preventing long-lasting consequences is critical. Seeking medical attention after the accident may prevent serious problems. With an untreated concussion, cognitive or neurological issues may occur after a few months or years. Head injuries require extensive medical care; otherwise, these issues can lead to vision problems, skull fractures, and hearing loss. Many of these injuries require comprehensive medical care.

Neck Injuries

In many accidents, whiplash is one of the most common types of injuries. Symptoms of this condition often do not develop until days after the crash. However, some individuals might feel immediate pain in the neck area. While many of these issues clear up over the weeks, accident victims may experience chronic issues. These symptoms are less common but can include ringing in the ears, inability to sleep, memory and concentration problems, and chronic pain in the head, shoulders, and neck. Sometimes, whiplash and other neck injuries may take weeks, months, or years to recover from the accident.

Back and Spinal Injuries

With the severe impact of a car accident, the back and spinal areas can experience long-term effects. Herniated discs can slip out of their normal position and push against the nerves in the back. In some situations, the spinal cartilage undergoes damage and swells up with fluid. With that swelling, the discs press against the nerves. As a result, there may be slight pain in the back or spinal area. These types of injuries may leave the accident victim with debilitating symptoms. Some individuals could lose control of their arms, feet, or hands. Unfortunately, a person may be paralyzed after the crash, requiring them to need specialized medical care for the remainder of their life.

Extremity and Organ Injuries

The lower extremities can be vulnerable in a car accident. Thighs, knees, ankles, and hips may be injured when components of the car push violently against the accident victim. The engine or steering wheel can cause severe injuries, resulting in internal damage to those vital organs. When a person suffers injuries, it is crucial to be examined by a medical professional. Some problems, like organ injuries, are not visual, and those injuries are considered life-threatening.

What Are the Psychological Effects of a Car Accident?

Physical injuries need to be treated, but what about those psychological effects? Receiving treatment for emotional or mental injuries is essential to recovering from a car accident. Some of the most common psychological effects include:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Feelings of guilt
• Interrupted periods of sleep
• Experiencing emotional triggers
• Phobia of driving

Schedule a Consultation with a Personal Injury Lawyer

Whether the injuries are physical or psychological, these long-term effects of car accidents often lead to serious consequences. While the individual might not feel the symptoms until weeks or months after the crash, these injuries may lead to debilitating issues for the crash victims and their families. Not only does the individual must deal with these injuries, but they often suffer from loss of income, the inability to return to work resulting in mounting medical bills. With that, car accident victims might want to explore their legal options. Talking to an Arizona personal injury attorney may help to answer your legal questions. Schedule a direct consultation with Chuck Franklin directly at Chuck Franklin Law by calling (480) 545-0700.