If you have been involved in a car accident in the last few months, you may have initially thought that you had not suffered any major injuries. After the adrenaline wore off and the bruises went away, you may have been confident that you had managed to avoid any long-lasting injury or pain.
However, it’s important that you do not simply assume this. Many extremely serious injuries that arise from car accidents can have a delayed onset. That means that serious injuries can take hours, days or even months to become apparent. This is why you should always be examined by a doctor after any car accident.
One common type of delayed onset injury after a car accident is an injured back. It may be that you felt minor soreness in your back in the days after an accident, or you might have experienced severe pain the first time that you started playing sports again after the accident. It’s important that you make sure these injuries are correctly treated, and that you get the damages that you deserve if they were caused by the accident.
What types of back injuries result from car accidents?
Lower back pain after a car accident is particularly common. This type of pain may indicate a whiplash-related injury that occurred as a result of the impact during the collision. You may also have sprained your back and damaged a muscle. Seeking professional guidance as well as getting adequate rest is important.
Pain in the upper back, neck or shoulders can also occur. This could also point to whiplash symptoms, and this type of pain may take a few days to manifest itself. Some car accident victims also experience neck and shoulder pain due to spinal injuries. For example, a herniated disc or muscle injuries could lead to pain in the upper back or shoulders.
Delayed onset injuries and prolonged pain are often not included as part of a car accident settlement because they are not accounted for. It is important that you make sure that damages for past, present and future pain and suffering are accounted for when you are making a personal injury claim after a car accident.
