How Long After a Car Accident Can Injuries Appear?

Sep 20, 2024 | Blog, Auto Accidents

In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, you might feel fine and not think you sustained any significant injuries. You might even refuse medical treatment on the scene of a car crash because you don’t sense anything is wrong. But you might be surprised to hear the answer to the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?”

The truth is that you won’t always notice injuries right after a car accident occurs. It could take hours or, in some cases, even days for signs and symptoms associated with car accident injuries to show up. Even serious car accident injuries like whiplash or a concussion can go undetected for an extended time before symptoms start to appear.

Continue reading to find out the definitive answer to the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?”

Why Don’t All Car Accident Injuries Appear Right Away?

According to a Forbes report, about 5.2 million car accidents take place every year. Over 3.6 million of these car crashes lead to property damage but no injuries. This shows there is a chance you might not sustain any injuries during a car accident.

However, just because you don’t feel hurt right away following a car crash doesn’t mean car accident injuries won’t rear their ugly heads later. You might simply have so much adrenaline coursing through your veins that you don’t feel pain from injuries like you normally would. Once it wears off, you may start to sense pain stemming from car crash injuries.

Which Car Accident Injuries Are More Obvious Than Others?

While some car accident injuries might not appear immediately, others will be obvious from the second a car crash ends. If, for example, you break your leg or sustain a large laceration on your head, you’ll see signs of these injuries almost instantly.

Any injury that causes bleeding will produce obvious signs. You might also quickly begin to experience swelling when you break a bone since this is your body’s way of protecting a part that is injured.

About How Long After a Car Accident Can Injuries Appear?

Although some car accident injuries will appear right away, others might take upwards of a week to start to exhibit symptoms. They can create complications when you’re trying to answer the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?”

Whiplash is a good example of a car crash injury that isn’t always obvious. You can sustain whiplash in a car accident that involves your head and neck jostling back and forth. You might also suffer a concussion in this case since your brain can strike your skull.

You might not see any whiplash or concussion symptoms for up to a week, though. You might also see delayed car accident injury symptoms when you sustain injuries like:

  • Herniated discs in your back
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Internal bleeding

You might even suffer from delayed mental health issues following a car accident. For all these reasons, it’s better to be safe than sorry by receiving medical attention after a car crash, even if you don’t feel injured.

Did You Sustain Injuries in a Car Accident? Touch Base With Us Today

The answer to the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?” can change based on the specific injuries you sustain. No matter which injuries impact you after a car crash, a car accident lawyer from Geoff McDonald & Associates can assist you in filing a compensation claim against an at-fault driver. Call us at 804-888-8888 or contact us online to gather more information on creating a compelling car accident case.

Geoff McDonald and Associates: 804-888-8888.

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