Recognizing & Coping with Delayed Symptoms After a Car Accident | Kisling, Nestico & Redick
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Some injuries are apparent after an auto accident. But others may not make themselves known until later.
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KNR Legal
Date posted
 
June 27, 2023
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It’s hard to know what to do when painful injuries develop post-accident, and most victims are unsure how to handle them. Unfortunately, when people ignore delayed injury symptoms, they may lose out on much-needed compensation. To ensure you are compensated fairly, it is essential to handle your symptoms correctly.

Auto Injuries with Delayed Symptoms

No one wants to be injured in a car crash. And while some injuries are evident, some people don’t always know how seriously they or their loved ones were hurt. You may only appreciate your situation after a doctor runs tests or after their symptoms arise.

Some of the most common injuries known for delayed symptoms include:

  • Muscle strains
  • Whiplash
  • Concussions
  • Blood clots
  • Certain types of head injuries
  • Internal bleeding
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

What Are Delayed Symptoms?

Knowing the signs of a severe injury is important. Some injury symptoms that may indicate a serious injury after a car accident include:

  • Dizziness
  • Light or noise sensitivity
  • Headaches
  • Memory problems
  • Changes in mood
  • Mental confusion
  • Nausea
  • Delayed speech or responses
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Lack of balance
  • Restlessness
  • Depression
  • Irritability
  • Abdominal pain
  • Numbness and tingling
  • Back or neck pain
  • Excessive sleeping

Delayed Symptoms Can Impact Your Claim

When auto accident injuries take time to manifest or worsen, it can complicate filing an insurance claim and securing compensation for your losses.

For example, insurance companies often look for immediate medical attention as evidence. If symptoms appear days or weeks later, it may be harder to prove that they resulted from the accident. Insurance companies might argue that your delayed injuries are unrelated to the accident and resulted from pre-existing conditions or a subsequent incident. They may use this to undervalue your claim or as a pretext to deny you compensation.

Delayed symptoms can also impact your ability to file a lawsuit if the symptoms develop after the statute of limitations has expired. Ohio only has a two-year time limit for personal injury lawsuits. So, the longer it takes symptoms to develop, the less time you have to file.

This makes a thorough medical evaluation and clear documentation crucial after a car accident.

What To Do About Delayed Symptoms After a Car Crash?

If you experience delayed symptoms after a car crash, try not to panic. Remain calm and take the following steps to protect your right to compensation:

  1. Get a medical evaluation to diagnose your symptoms and injuries
  2. Follow your healthcare provider’s treatment plan
  3. Keep a medical journal with the details of your pain levels and the ways your symptoms and injuries have affected your life on a day-to-day basis
  4. Contact a car accident lawyer for help with the insurance company or filing a lawsuit.

How To Improve the Chances of a Successful Claim

Since the liable party will likely challenge your claim since your symptoms were delayed, it is crucial to be proactive. You and your attorneys must gather as much evidence as possible to prove that the car accident caused your injuries.

Examples of the evidence that may be most valuable include:

  • Personal journal entries
  • Statements from friends and family
  • Testimony from medical experts
  • Copies of your diagnostic test results
  • Copies of your healthcare provider’s opinion
  • Copies of your healthcare provider’s diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment plan
  • Police and incident reports

Damages Available for Delayed Symptoms

Even if your injury symptoms are delayed after a car crash, you still have the right to compensation for your losses and damages. If someone else is responsible for causing your injuries, there is no reason you should be expected to cover the costs.

Thankfully, under Ohio law, you can be repaid for every loss or made whole. This includes your financially-based losses (economic damages) and non-financial losses (non-economic damages).

Economic damages for delayed symptoms could include:

  • Prescription medication costs
  • Healthcare co-pays
  • Medical device and equipment fees
  • Costs of home accommodations
  • Future healthcare costs
  • The cost of your hospital stay and ambulance bills
  • Loss of income
  • Lost employee health insurance and retirement savings benefits
  • Loss of paid time off
  • Reduced earning potential
  • Personal property damages, including vehicle repairs
  • Costs of childcare and household maintenance

Non-economic damages you can recover after suffering delayed symptoms include:

  • Severe psychological trauma and stress
  • Chronic physical pain
  • Embarrassment, apprehension, and anticipation
  • Loss of love, companionship, protection, and support
  • Loss of an intimate spousal relationship
  • Skin scarring and disfigurement
  • Reputational damages

How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help in My Case?

Having an experienced personal injury lawyer is crucial when dealing with delayed injuries. By having a lawyer, you can anticipate accusations from the insurance company and present evidence that establishes liability. From there, you can highlight the significance of your delayed symptoms and subsequent injuries.

Ways your attorney can help get the most out of your claim:

  • Investigate the cause of your delayed symptoms and the accident
  • Build a compelling case against the liable party
  • Prove a connection between your delayed symptoms and the car accident through valuable supporting evidence
  • Identify responsible parties and negotiate with insurance companies
  • Bring your case to trial when insurance is insufficient, or the at-fault party is not insured

Call KNR & Work with an Experienced Injury Lawyer

Just because your injuries developed after a car accident doesn’t mean your pain and suffering are not as severe. You may encounter some challenges with delayed car accident injuries, but you can recover all the compensation rightfully yours. The Ohio injury lawyer at Kisling, Nestico & Redick can help make that happen.

Let us review the details of your case and worry about getting the documentation you need so you can focus on healing. Contact KNR today for a 100% free consultation. Call 1-800-HURT-NOW or contact us online.