What Symptoms Should I Look for After a Car Accident?

There are a number of symptoms after a car accident that can indicate the presence of serious injuries. If you have been involved in a wreck, it is important to make sure you get the treatment you need. If you have any concerns about your medical condition, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. 

How do you know if you need treatment? It isn’t always easy to tell. While some symptoms after a car accident are obvious, others are more subtle. Additionally, with some types of injuries, symptoms may not begin to appear until days—or even weeks—after the accident. 

10 Common Injury Symptoms After a Car Accident

The following are all common symptoms that you should look for after a car accident. Whether you immediately experience these symptoms after a car accident or they manifest once some time has passed, they could all be signs that you need treatment as a result of the collision:

1. Chest Pain 

Chest pain is a common symptom that can be related to a variety of types of injuries. These include seatbelt syndrome (bruising and internal trauma caused by seatbelt restraint), bruised or fractured ribs, and lung damage, among others. 

2. Difficulty Sleeping 

Difficulty sleeping can also be symptomatic of several different types of car accident injuries. In many cases, difficulty sleeping can be associated with brain trauma, and in these scenarios prompt medical attention is required. Difficulty sleeping is also a common symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder for car accident victims. 

3. Fatigue

When we get injured, our bodies go into overdrive to either try to fix the injury or prevent it from causing potentially-serious complications. This, in turn, leads to fatigue. Certain types of injuries (i.e., traumatic brain injuries (TBI)) can cause fatigue as well. 

4. Headaches

Headaches are a common symptom of concussions—and concussions are extremely common car accident injuries. Even if a driver’s or passenger’s head does not make contact with an object in the vehicle, the forces involved in a serious accident are more than enough to cause damage to the brain.  

5. Joint Pain 

Shoulder, elbow, wrist, knee, and ankle injuries are all common in car accidents. In most cases, drivers and passengers who suffer these injuries will experience pain at the affected joint. Even if a joint does not appear to be displaced and there is no significant bruising, joint pain could still be a sign of a strain, sprain, tear, or fracture. 

6. Limited Range of Motion  

A limited range of motion can also be symptomatic of tissue and bone injuries in the joints, limbs, neck, or torso. While a limited range of motion is often accompanied by pain, this is not always the case. In many cases, car accident victims will not experience generalized pain but will experience sharp or shooting pain when they reach the limit of their range of motion. 

7. Lower Back Pain 

Lower back pain is one of the most common symptoms after a car accident that drivers and passengers experience. This pain can be symptomatic of a wide range of injuries—and not just injuries in the back. If you are experiencing lower back pain after a car accident, you should not ignore it, but instead, see a doctor for a diagnosis as soon as possible. 

8. Memory Loss

Memory loss can be a sign of a potentially serious brain injury. Even if you are only having trouble remembering a brief period of time (i.e., the moments leading up to your crash), any amount of memory loss is a sign that you should seek treatment promptly. 

9. Neck Pain 

Neck pain is an extremely common symptom as well. Like lower back pain, neck pain can be symptomatic of a variety of types of injuries, and it is a sign that you should see a doctor to learn more about your condition. 

10. Swelling and Bruising 

Swelling and bruising can also be indicative of potentially-serious injuries in various parts of the body. At joints and in the limbs, swelling and bruising are commonly indicative of fractures. In the chest and abdomen, swelling and bruising can be symptomatic of organ damage, internal bleeding, and other internal injuries. 

These are just examples. Again, if you have any concerns about your health for any reason, you should see a doctor promptly. Injuries from car accidents can manifest in a variety of different ways; and, when in doubt, it is best to seek advice from a qualified medical professional. 

Call an Orlando Car Accident Lawyer for Free 

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident in Florida, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering, and other losses.

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To discuss your legal rights with an experienced attorney in confidence, call (800) 766-1000 or request a FREE consultation online today.