5 Common Complications After a Rear-End Collision
Getting into an auto accident is stressful, and puts a lot on your plate, such as getting your car fixed. However, even if you don't think you've been injured, you should see a doctor. Many complications after a rear-end collision don't appear right away. If you want to protect yourself, check out these five common complications after a rear-end accident.
1. Whiplash
Whiplash is common in car accidents, especially rear-end collisions because the force causes your head to quickly snap forward and then backward. Right after the accident, you may not even realize you have whiplash.
The symptoms often don't appear until a little later. Symptoms include neck stiffness, pain when moving your neck, loss of range of motion, headaches at the base of the skull, and tingling and pain in shoulders and arms. While it's not deadly, if left untreated, whiplash can make your life painful.
2. Concussion
A concussion can also happen if your head hits something. You may hit the back of your head against the headrest, or you may hit the airbag hard. If the airbag doesn't deploy, you may even hit your head on the dashboard or windshield.
A concussion may not immediately present itself, but symptoms include an inability to stay focused and concentrated on a stream of thought, limited awareness and distractibility, and inability to carry out goal-directed movements. You may also have memory loss, ringing in the ears, sensitivity to light, and a prolonged headache.
3. Brain Injury
A concussion is just one type of brain injury, but you can hurt your brain in many other ways if you get into an accident. A contusion is a bruise to your brain, and diffuse axonal injury means your nerve cells have stretched. Severe diffuse axonal injury can affect how information travels through the brain.
Traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage is another possible brain injury if you hit your head hard during the accident. This means blood is filling the space between the brain and skull. Finally, a hematoma is a blood clot from a ruptured blood vessel.
4. Soft Tissue Damage
Soft tissue damage is common in many car accidents. The damage is to any soft tissue in your body, such as muscles and ligaments. Unfortunately, like whiplash, soft tissue damage doesn't always appear until a few days after the accident, which is why you should always see a doctor after an accident, even if you have no pain.
As an added insult, soft tissue damage is hard to prove on X-rays and other tests. The level of pain and suffering usually rests on your word. Soft tissue damage can include a sprained wrist, torn ligament, or strained muscle.
5. Broken Bones
Broken bones may be possible in more severe accidents. If you do have a broken bone, you will probably know immediately. You may be in severe pain or even have a bone poking through the skin. In rear-end collisions, you can break your arms or legs if you try to brace yourself before the impact. If you sit too close to the dashboard, you may not have enough room for your legs in the event of an accident.
If the accident was enough to cause your airbag to release, you may also have small broken bones in your face. The force with which an airbag expels is strong enough to cause major damage, including broken bones and soft tissue damage.
An accident is a confusing time, and you may not be too worried about your health if you seem fine. Unfortunately, many complications from accidents don't appear right away. And you may have already gotten your settlement before you realize the extent of your injuries. If you've been in an accident with injuries that manifest later, you need an attorney in your corner. For more information, contact us today at Clearfield and Associates.