A car accident is a traumatic experience that leaves both physical and mental scars on the people involved. However, what is just as important as treating the visible injuries to one’s body and psyche is to pay attention to any aches, pains, and discomforts that you might have days, weeks, or even months after the accident.
According to an Atlanta GA personal injury attorney, “under Georgia law, automobile accidents are governed by general principles of negligence.” A victim who has been hurt can make a claim against the driver and against the owner of the vehicle that was operated by the at-fault driver. So take note of your injuries, they may not crop up at once.
Here are just a few post-accident pains that you must not ignore:
1. Head Discomfort
If you experience severe headaches, dizziness, amnesia, anxiety, or have been through a concussion in the accident, then you might have internal injuries in your head. Skull fractures and other external injuries may also cause these symptoms. CT scans or MRIs can be an option to diagnose these injuries.
2. Neck Stiffness
If you experience difficulty in moving your head or neck, you may be suffering from whiplash. It could be temporary or permanent. Doctors often suggest physical therapy to remedy this issue. The sudden impact of the accident can cause the discs in the spine to herniate. This can lead to acute pain in the upper regions of your back (near the neck) or numbness or weakness in that area.
3. Back Soreness
If you feel weakness in your limbs, show difficulty in controlling bowel movements, difficulty in breathing, or numbness in parts of your body then you might have a herniated disk in your back that is pressing on your spinal cord. Surgeries can remove the disk and relieve the pressure on the cord. Whiplash symptoms may also exhibit themselves in regions of the back.
4. Internal Upsets
The shock from the impact can rupture or damage internal organs such as the spleen, liver, kidney, lungs, or heart. Severe pain in the chest or abdominal region is usually indicative of major damage to some of these organs. Other symptoms may include dizziness, fainting, and confusion.
5. Upper Limb Problems
Fractured arms, wrists, and shoulders are fairly common after car accidents. Swelling, tenderness, deformity, and restricted motion are some of the symptoms of a fractured arm. MRI scans can be performed to diagnose the exact cause of these symptoms as pain and restricted motion in the shoulder area can also be due to rotator cuff injuries.
6. Lower Limb Problems
In addition to obvious injuries such as fractured legs, a car accident can cause tendons and ligaments in the leg to rupture, for example, injuries in the Achilles tendon. The symptoms of these injuries are severe pain in the region and restricted movement.
As you may have figured out, the cost incurred during the treatment of these injuries is quite significant. If your insurance company’s policy does not cover the whole expenses and you wish to recover the sum that you have to bear from the person responsible for the accident, then hiring an attorney to pursue legal action is a plausible solution.
In many states, such as Georgia, not only are drivers held accountable in car accidents, but owners of faulty vehicles as well. In this situation, an attorney could investigate the car, find it in neglected condition, and earn you money for this oversight. You may be able to sue the person responsible for medical bills, wages lost due to the accident, compensation for diminished working capacity, and punitive damages.
Pain and discomfort after an automobile accident are often significant, impacting our ability to work and play afterward. There are many little things that can be wrong with the body after such a traumatic incident. However, recurring or chronic pains are not always something you have to live with forever after an accident. By educating yourself on the nature of your pain and seeing a specialist, you can locate the problem and treat it effectively.
Debbie Nguyen is a freelance blogger and designer from Atlanta, GA. Many people don’t realize the degree of pain that can result from a car accident, even long after the incident occurred. Any Atlanta GA personal injury attorney at Stokes &Kopitsky is experienced in handling cases involving vehicular accidents.
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/amslerpix/8371290086/