Delayed Onset of Injuries – The Serious Injuries that can go Undiagnosed After an Accident

The injuries sustained in an auto or motorcycle accident may not always be apparent at the accident scene or even hours later in the hospital. Obviously, broken bones and lacerations will be immediately noticed and treated. However, there are some fairly common injuries that occur as a result of accidents which can be unknown and undiagnosed for days or even months. These injuries can be far more serious that the injuries which are readily apparent and easily diagnosed. In fact, they can be fatal.

Whiplash injuries are generally more common after a rear end collision than other types of car accidents. Whiplash is a very common injury to see after a motorcycle accident. The pain associated with a whiplash injury might not be apparent immediately. It usually develops over the first 24 hours evidenced by increasing pain and stiffness. Even a minor whiplash injury will likely take more than 30 days recovery time. The effects of more severe whiplash injuries can last months and even years. It is important not to ignore symptoms following an accident. Do you have numbness in your extremities? This could indicate damage to one of the discs in your lower back which was injured in the crash.

Ignoring symptoms can have dire consequences. There have been documented cases of people dying days and even months after suffering whiplash type injury in an accident. In one instance, a taxi driver was involved in a rear end collision and was diagnosed with whiplash trauma. He continued on about his daily life. He noticed an increase in headaches, confusion and a decrease in vision, but no medical professional properly diagnosed his condition. Two months after the accident he began suffering severe headaches and seizures. He was finally admitted to the hospital where he died. Doctors concluded that he had died of a fatal basilar thrombotic embolus. They further concluded that he died as a direct result of the whiplash trauma he suffered in the car accident two months earlier.

The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may also not present immediately and can commonly be misdiagnosed as acute whiplash. Traumatic brain injuries can result in car and motorcycle accidents as a result of a violent jolt or blow to the head.

If you have been involved in an accident and in the weeks following notice any of the following symptoms, it is imperative that you seek medical attention:

1. Headaches;
2. Nausea or vomiting;
3. Fatigue or drowsiness;
4. Difficulty sleeping;
5. Dizziness;
6. Convulsions or seizures;
7. Dilation of one or both pupils;
8. Loss of coordination;
9. Confusion;
10. Memory loss;
11. Slurred speech;
12. Irritability; and
13. Depression.

Have you been involved in a car or motorcycle accident or a slip and fall which you have suffered an injury? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg personal injury attorney at Jones Law Group today. The decision to hire an experienced car crash attorney is an extremely important one. Would you hire your doctor based upon a TV or Radio Ad? An experienced and qualified personal injury attorney is every bit as important. Hire someone that understands your injuries and will provide you the customer service to which you are entitled.

If you have been involved in motorcycle or car accident, you should immediately call Jones Law Group at (727) 571-1333 during regular business hours or (727) 753-8657 on weekends or after regular business hours. We will evaluate your case for free and you will never pay us a dime unless we recover compensation for your injuries.

Jones Law Group
5622 Central Avenue
St. Pete, FL 33707