There are many things we do each day that are much more dangerous than we realize, particularly driving and riding in modern vehicles. A car accident can happen at any time, and almost all car accidents can leave victims with significant injuries that don’t cause pain or show signs of harm, such as bleeding or swelling.
All of us lead busy lives, and it may feel like a waste of time and money to go to a doctor for a medical screening after a car accident, especially if you walked away from a car accident without any pain. However, injuries that do not cause pain immediately are often quite dangerous. If you wait until you feel pain to seek treatment, an injury may get much worse and leave you with lasting pain and other complications.
Even if you think you survived your car accident without any injuries, it is always wise to see a doctor or other medical professional as soon as you can after the accident to identify any hidden injuries before they have time to worsen. You may avoid serious pain later on and reduce your overall medical expenses in the long run.
Painless injuries are not harmless
Injuries that do not cause immediate pain, or delayed pain injuries, come in several forms, each with their own risks. These include:
- Head injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Spinal injuries and nerve damage
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
A blow to the head may not cause any pain or significant symptoms for several days. Without treatment, however, a blow to the head can leave a victim with a mild brain injury that can drastically alter their personality and ability to communicate.
Soft tissue damage, which we often call whiplash, may not cause pain for a number of hours, only to leave a victim unable to move some or all of their body without paralyzing pain.
An injury to a victim’s spinal column may not cause pain at first, but these injuries often pinch and sever nerves, which can leave victims with long-term pain, numbness and tingling. It is also possible for spinal column damage to get much worse if a victim does not receive proper diagnosis and treatment.
These injuries may worsen without treatment, causing unnecessary pain and complications. However, internal bleeding and organ damage can kill victims if they do not receive medical attention quickly. Organ damage may not shut an organ down entirely, but if a victim’s body cannot heal the organ on its own, it will shut down eventually. Once this occurs, the victim’s life is in danger, and they will experience immense pain.
Large internal bleeding can kill a victim if they lose too much blood, but small internal injuries are dangerous, too. A small internal bleeding injury is an invitation for a life-threatening infection, which is extremely painful.
Protect your future now
If you recently experienced a car accident, do not wait any longer to see a doctor or other medical care professional about a medical examination. You certainly don’t want to wait for treatment of delayed pain injuries until they begin to hurt. If you do find injuries, you may need to build a personal injury claim to cover your medical expenses and other losses, protecting your rights in Kentucky while you recover.
