If you or someone you know has been injured due to the negligence or recklessness of another party, you have the right to file a personal injury claim. You should contact a qualified attorney as soon as possible so that they can assess your case and see what type of damages you may be entitled to receive. It’s always recommended that you seek medical attention immediately following an accident to ensure proper treatment. In some cases, if the injuries sustained are life-threatening, you may also be able to claim compensation from the other party.
It’s not unusual for a personal injury to go undetected for weeks, months, or even years. They often get missed as some people tend to keep symptoms, like joint pain or leg pain, to themselves, and ignore them hoping that they’ll go away on their own. But, inevitably, they don’t. This is why it’s important to have a full understanding of what the symptoms of a serious underlying injury are to properly assess whether or not your health is at risk.
What are the Symptoms of a Serious Underlying Injury?
Remember, you must seek the help of a medical professional so that your injuries are diagnosed accurately.
These are the possible symptoms of a serious injury:
Pain
While there are many different types of physical symptoms that you can experience after a serious injury, the most common one is pain. It may or may not be accompanied by bruising or swelling. Pain with inflammation bruising is typically obvious and easy to identify. However, some people may develop chronic or unexplainable pain after being injured without showing any sign of swelling in the affected area. Unfortunately, pain is a sign that there’s something wrong, whether it’s constant or comes and goes.
For example, whiplash presents symptoms like stiffness, loss of range of motion, and worsening pain during movement of the neck and shoulder. Leaving whiplash untreated can result in vertebrae misalignment and degenerative disc disease. An accident lawyer in Broward County, if you live within the area, can help you determine whether you can claim compensation for your injuries.
Headache
Headaches may seem common, but a worsening headache after an injury may cause serious damage. The brain is a delicate organ, and small fractures in the skull can sometimes cause bleeding in the brain. If you’re feeling disoriented or have blurred vision after getting injured, it’s best to have someone bring you to the emergency room as soon as possible to determine the cause.
A headache is something everyone experiences at one time or another, and it’s usually temporary. However, if the pain continues for longer than a couple of days, or if it’s located in a specific location of the head, then you should make an appointment with your doctor.
Fatigue
Fatigue that’s accompanied by loss of appetite, nausea, and sleeplessness should be reported to your primary physician as it may be a symptom of a concussion or other head injury. If these symptoms are experienced consistently and for longer than a few days, then you should see your doctor immediately for evaluation.
Impaired Sensation
The body consists of a network of nerves that can be damaged after a serious injury. If there was severe damage to the brain, nerves, and spinal cord, the victim may experience tingling and numbness. A slight injury may cause a sudden but temporary loss of sensation, but a serious injury has debilitating effects on your health.
You should immediately report to your doctor if you’re unable to move and lost your ability to taste, see, hear, or smell. The strong impact during an accident can cause traumatic brain injury or severe damage to the spine and nerves. Immediate medical attention is required to prevent the loss of sensation from becoming permanent.
Shortness of Breath
One of the more difficult symptoms is shortness of breath. Feeling faint and labored breathing after an accident is usually associated with having congested lungs. When this happens, you may not be able to breathe, may turn blue in the face, and even collapse. The congestion in the lungs can affect internal organs and cause them to fail. If you’re experiencing difficulty in breathing, there may be an obstruction, swelling, or bleeding in or near the lungs that must be dealt with by emergency ambulatory services.
Behavioral Symptoms
A serious injury may also exhibit behavioral symptoms, which are also the result of physical pain and mental distress. You may experience mood swings, irritability, or extreme anger after an injury. If the changes in behavior occurred after a traumatic injury, it’s important to determine what’s causing it. Understanding the cause can go a long way in treating the issue properly.
When physical symptoms aren’t addressed after a traumatic incident, the patient can often go into denial or self-isolation, which makes treatment more difficult. If the symptoms are, indeed, related to a serious injury, you may have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s vital to get the proper medical care to make sure that the condition is treated and resolved. Only when the cause of the behavioral issues after an accident is determined can the proper treatment be administered.
SEE ALSO – Physical Therapy and Living With Joint Pain
Don’t Let Symptoms Go Unchecked
If you believe that you’re suffering from an injury, don’t hesitate to consult a doctor. The doctor will conduct a series of medical evaluations, including x-rays, and will recommend treatment. If the symptoms are severe, your doctor may advise you to seek emergency medical care at the hospital. Sometimes, even after consulting a physician, patients continue to experience symptoms. In this case, your doctor may recommend or assign another specialist to examine you further. Proper diagnosis and treatment can save your life and can provide you with the quality of life you deserve.
Takeaway
If you’ve suffered from an accident, a reputable lawyer should review your case and see if any legal option exists. While symptoms don’t always mean that you’ll incur permanent damage, seeking medical treatment and legal help after an accident can help prevent other more serious problems down the line. When you consult an accident lawyer, make sure you explain what happened so that they have the information they need to give you the best advice.
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