woman with headache after an accident

Why Delayed Pain After a Car Accident Can Be Serious

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By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

All too often, car accidents result in serious injuries requiring immediate and sometimes long-term medical care. However, there are times when drivers are fortunate enough to walk away from a car collision injury-free. 

But what happens if pain sets in later, after the accident? California personal injury attorneys work with many car accident victims whose pain and injury symptoms manifest over the weeks and months following a car accident.

Delayed pain after a car accident can be serious, and you must understand how it can affect your right to injury compensation. 

I Feel Fine. Why Do I Need a Complete Medical Exam After a Car Crash?

A complete evaluation by a medical professional is critical following a car accident.  Doctors specializing in car crash victims treat visible injuries while assessing soft-muscle tissue and internal organ damage, brain injury, and psychological disorders linked to traumatic events.  

Avoiding medical examination after a car accident may leave you vulnerable to the complications of delayed pain and hidden injuries. It may also compromise your right to financial compensation and the amount you could be awarded for your injuries.  

3 Reasons Why Delayed Pain After a Car Accident Can Be Serious

1. Elevated adrenaline levels can obscure internal and soft-muscle injuries following a car crash. 

Some of these injuries, including internal bleeding, ruptured organs, severe whiplash, concussions, and TBI, can present severe and life-threatening conditions when detected too late.  

2. Psychological injuries resulting from a car crash often manifest over time, in the weeks or months following an accident. Emotional and mental injury symptoms may include anxiety, depression, compulsive behaviors, and PTSD.  

Car accident victims suffering these symptoms can easily spiral into a debilitating state of dysfunction with a lasting, negative impact on their quality of life. 

3. When car accident victims believe they are uninjured or have suffered only mild injuries, they may rush to accept a lesser settlement than they are entitled to or may need later.

Waiving one’s right to financial compensation or accepting a fast settlement for quick cash could prove extremely costly as medical expenses and lost wages add up from delayed pain and late-onset injuries. 

Don’t Agree to a Settlement Too Quickly.

After a car accident, the at-fault party’s insurance company will likely reach out to settle your claim as soon as possible. They may even try to convince you that it’s in your best interest to settle the claim early for the benefit of an immediate payout. 

Beware. Insurance companies are in business to make money and minimize financial loss. Rushing to settlement is a tactic used to avoid paying the expenses of delayed medical conditions resulting from the accident. 

You should not agree to or sign any insurance claims release until you have been medically evaluated by a licensed physician and consulted an experienced personal injury attorney.  

Should I Hire A Personal Injury Attorney After a Car Accident?

When a person suffers an injury in a car accident, they often seek medical treatment right away, which leads to the best prognosis for healing. 

However, there are times when pain and injuries present themselves long after the injury accident. This can complicate a legal claim for injury compensation. 

As you struggle to recover from your injuries following a car accident, the last thing you need to worry about is navigating a personal injury claim in California. 

Knowledgeable personal injury attorneys understand the nature of car accident injuries, the types and amounts of injury compensation available to car crash victims, and the tactics used by insurance companies to limit financial awards.

It’s in your best interest to retain a California personal injury attorney who will fight on your behalf for the compensation you deserve.  

For a comprehensive case review and evaluation of your car accident personal injury claim, contact our office today. 

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About the Author
Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.