In the aftermath of a major motor vehicle collision, most of the injuries you suffer will be pretty obvious. Broken bones could prevent you from putting pressure on your limbs, while spinal cord injuries could prevent you from moving at all. Lacerations and painful contusions will also be obvious right at the scene of the crash, even if the bruising isn’t visible yet.
It’s important to understand that even if you aren’t bleeding, you could still have injuries that require medical attention following a serious car wreck. Familiarizing yourself with the two dangerous invisible injuries that people can suffer in a car accident can help you get the diagnosis and treatment you need for a quick recovery.
You could hurt your head without realizing it at first
Your skull is thick and strong to help protect your brain from injury. However, humans did not evolve to have skulls that are thick enough to protect from the kind of damage that can occur in collisions involving motor vehicles.
People who strike their heads, suffer penetrating injuries due to shrapnel, or experience violent shaking or spinning during a crash can have swelling, bleeding or bruising on the brain. If left untreated, these conditions, called traumatic brain injuries, can worsen, producing more severe symptoms as time goes on.
If you struck your head or if the motion of the vehicle during the crash was particularly violent, it is in your best interest to go to a medical facility and have a doctor examine you for the more subtle signs of a potential head injury.
Your head isn’t the only place you can bleed without it being visible
If you didn’t hit your head and your vehicle didn’t wind up spinning or flipping over, you may feel confident that you don’t have any injury to your brain. However, you can still suffer internal bleeding in other parts of your body, meaning you may still want to see a doctor.
People can develop painful and dangerous internal bleeding due to blunt-force trauma from the crash or the pressure of their seat belt restraining them during the collision. Internal bleeding, left unchecked, can sometimes result in severe, even life-threatening consequences.
A quick medical evaluation can help you get care when you need it and can help ensure that you have documentation that will connect your medical care and its many effects on your life with the crash you experienced.
If You’ve Been Injured in a Car Wreck, Call TLF Today
Once you have sought medical care, the next thing you should do is talk over your case with an experienced Ohio or Northern Kentucky personal injury attorney. We offer free consultations from our offices in Covington, Kentucky and Cincinnati, Ohio. Call The Lawrence Firm today at 800-698-4054 or email us to schedule your free initial consultation.