Car accidents are obviously dangerous events that can leave victims with significant injuries. If you have been involved in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence – even if you do not think you were seriously injured – you owe it to your health and to your claim to seek immediate medical attention. The fact is that an injury can be asymptomatic until it develops into something far more serious and far more difficult to treat effectively.
Minor Accidents Can Cause Serious Injuries
The impact of even a seemingly minor car accident can be significant, and that impact can leave you seriously injured. If you are offered medical assistance at the scene of the accident, take it. If you are not, get in to see your doctor as quickly as possible. Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash, are especially common, and they can go undiagnosed until they become increasingly painful. A soft tissue injury that does not heal properly can lead to chronic pain and even to a permanent decrease in range of motion in the area. Seeking the medical care you need is the best path forward.
TBIs and Spinal Cord Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and spinal cord injuries are closely associated with car accidents, and the severity of either may not be immediately apparent after an accident. Most TBIs are caused by an impact to the head. They can also occur when the head is shaken with sufficient force. Because a TBI affects your brain, such an injury can have a dramatic impact on your life. It is difficult to overstate the financial, physical, and emotional consequences of a serious TBI.
A spinal cord injury can occur anywhere on the spine, and they are often caused by an impact to the neck, shoulders, or back – as is common in car accidents. A spinal cord injury can be extremely painful and can lead to impaired range of motion. Furthermore, spinal cord injuries can result in chronic pain and debilitating loss of movement – or even in permanent paralysis in very serious cases.
Seeking Treatment
If you have been in a car accident, you have likely sustained a significant impact – whether you think you are injured are not. There are multiple benefits to seeking medical treatment immediately after a car accident, and they include:
You can eliminate the fear that you may have been injured (if you were not indeed injured).
You can receive the medical treatment you need sooner rather than later, and early diagnosis is closely associated with improved prognosis.
You can bolster your personal injury claim/case by demonstrating that you took the accident and your attendant injuries very seriously from the outset.
Contact an Experienced Killeen Personal Injury Attorney Today
If another driver leaves you injured in a car accident, attorney Brett Pritchard is committed to helping you obtain the compensation to which you are entitled under Texas law. Your rights are important, so please do not hesitate to contact or call us at 254-501-4040 for more information today.