Far too many victims of car accidents in Fall River, MA, fail to recognize initial injuries, especially those after an automobile accident.
By refusing or just not seeking medical attention, they not only put their own health at risk, but it also reduces their chances of getting any compensation from their insurance company.
Insurance companies like medical documentation to prove or disprove the worth of the case…so if you don’t have any, you’re out of luck.
Fall River car accident attorneys see far too many personal injury cases where victims failed to seek medical attention when they should have.
Common Car Accident Injuries
In many car accidents in Fall River, victims of these accidents don’t realize that they’ve been injured.
With most accidents, especially car accidents, the soft tissues of the body are most affected. Sometimes these injuries don’t show up for days.
This is why it’s so important to recognize and have a doctor treat you for any signs and symptoms of injury after a car accident.
As a practicing Fall River car accident attorney for the past 20-plus years, I’ve observed that certain injuries have a higher chance of occurring in car accidents. They include:
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Head Injury
One of the most common forms of head injury is what’s called a concussion. A concussion may result from the rapid acceleration or deceleration that occurs during trauma. This is very common in automobile accidents.
When one vehicle collides into another with great force, the brain can smash up against the inside of the skull and become bruised. This is what doctors refer to as a concussion.
Head injuries are serious things but are oftentimes overlooked because signs and symptoms of them may not appear for many days after an accident. However, they can result in prolonged brain damage and long-term disability.
Signs and symptoms of a concussion are severe headaches, mood swings, memory loss in cognition issues as well as symptoms like loss of concentration and confusion.
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Neck Injury
By far, the most common kind of serious neck injury is a herniated disc. The vertebrae in the neck are protected and cushioned by flexible discs that are designed to protect the bony vertebrae from smashing into each other.
When an injury takes place the outside of the disk might tear, which causes the disc to leak slowly over time.
This disc material may press against the spinal cord, which causes pain. Oftentimes, herniated discs may cause severe pain and stiffness or even muscle spasms with the pain radiating to both arms resulting in numbness or tingling of the hands and fingers.
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Wrist Injury
Carpal tunnel syndrome may be caused by blunt trauma and impact suffered in a car accident. This oftentimes occurs when the victim of a car accident tries to brace themselves either against the steering wheel or on the dashboard.
The nerves in the hand may become inflamed and cause pain. This pain oftentimes never goes away and is one of the more common injuries suffered in car accidents.
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Lower Back Injury
Similar to the herniated disc in the neck, a herniated disc in your lower back is similar as to how it occurs. Symptoms may include extreme pain and muscle spasm and the inability to sit for long periods of time.
Lower back injuries and especially those with herniated discs may worsen over time as well.
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Knee Injury
In a slip and fall or an auto accident, the knees are extremely vulnerable to injury. The knees are injured by making contact with the interior of the vehicle, usually the underside of the dashboard.
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are extremely common in these cases with tears being one of the more common injuries. An ACL injury can become a long-lasting and permanent disability resulting in the knee giving out mixed with extreme pain and swelling.
ACL injuries are usually treated with longer-term therapy and rehabilitation.
Fall River, MA Car Accident Attorney Advice: Seek Medical Attention
The first thing you must do if you are injured, even slightly after any kind of accident is seek the attention of a medical professional.
This may include a trip to the emergency room or a visit to your physician.
It’s extremely important not only for your health and welfare but also for documenting your case should you seek legal counsel for potential compensation. A Fall River car accident lawyer can help you do just that.
Getting your injury documented right away is very important because the more time that goes by the more you could potentially lose.
This is not just for compensation purposes but also if you do not seek medical attention quickly, your injuries could worsen without the intervention of a medical specialist.
If you’re even slightly injured, don’t take any chances.
Many of our clients who are treated immediately following an accident receive a clean bill of health from their family doctor or the emergency room physician who treated them directly after the accident.
Unfortunately, over time many clients we have worked with had longer-term injuries emerge long after initial medical treatment and assessment. This may be the result of inferior diagnostic equipment, or due to the nature of the accident itself.
Who To Contact for Your Car Accident Case
If you have been injured in a car accident in Fall River, MA, or know anyone you know has, the bottom line is this: first seek medical attention.
After your full medical evaluation, contact the best car accident attorney in Fall River, MA who understands and has experience handling cases similar to yours.
At Kevin P Landry Law Offices, we have experience handling cases that involve different types of injuries ranging from whiplash to traumatic brain injuries. We also offer free initial consultations and we are available 24/7 every day of the week. Contact us today to schedule your consultations.