One of the first steps that those involved in a crash or witness to one will take is to call to report the wreck to local authorities or sometimes to seek emergency services.
Evaluating the people at the crash for signs of injury is part of this process. People try to check themselves and the others involved in the wreck for signs of significant injury. However, they might very easily overlook one of the three noteworthy injuries below.
1. Stable fractures
Some broken bones are impossible to miss, as they cause excruciating pain and prevent people from using their limbs. Other broken bones don’t immediately generate pain or limit someone’s activity because the bone remains in the same placement after the fracture. Stable and hairline fractures may not become obvious until some kind of secondary trauma or significant exertion.
2. Traumatic brain injuries
When people hit their heads on the steering wheel or the window or get shaken up in a vehicle that flips over, they may feel a bit sore but believe that they are overall okay. That is not always necessarily the case. It can take multiple days after the initial trauma for major symptoms to develop when someone has a traumatic brain injury. The sooner someone receives the diagnosis, the better their chances of minimizing what symptoms they have and more fully recovering from their injury.
3. Internal bleeding
Trauma to the abdomen or torso during a crash can lead to bleeding in the abdominal cavity or even inside the lungs. The bleeding may not be obvious because it isn’t visible. However, if not treated, it may progress to a point where it endangers someone’s health and possibly their life.
Doctors are able to evaluate people for everything from bleeding on the brain to stable fractures that aren’t yet painful. Many people involved in crashes, especially high-speed collisions that cause significant damage to their vehicles, benefit from seeing a doctor to rule out or diagnose possible invisible injuries after a collision. Seeking medical and legal guidance after a wreck can protect someone both medically and financially in the wake of a serious car crash.