Vehicle accidents that occur in Pennsylvania often lead to various types of injuries for those involved. In some cases, these injuries are immediately apparent. However, there are times when vehicle accident injuries are delayed for quite some time, even up to days or weeks after the crash occurs. How can you recover compensation for injuries that are delayed? This can be tricky, particularly when dealing with an aggressive insurance carrier. Here, we want to discuss how you can recover compensation for delayed car accident injuries in Philadelphia.
How Long After a Crash Can Injuries Appear?
When a vehicle accident occurs, our bodies send various chemicals, including adrenaline, coursing through our bloodstream so that we do not experience much pain right away.
This could be a problem because many individuals think they are not injured right after a crash occurs, and this can lead to them deciding not to seek immediate medical care. This adrenaline can cover up relatively mild injuries such as whiplash. However, this can also cover up more severe injuries such as brain trauma, internal bleeding, internal organ damage, and more. These injuries often begin to show symptoms within hours after a crash occurs.
Additionally, there are times when some vehicle accident injuries may not appear until days or even weeks after a crash occurs. Some of the most common injuries that are delayed this long include:
- Various types of internal contusions or bleeding
- Ruptured or herniated discs in the spine
- Severe whiplash injuries
- Long term concussion symptoms
- …and more
Recovering Compensation for Delayed Car Accident Injuries in Pennsylvania
You should still be able to recover compensation after experiencing delayed car accident symptoms. However, it is crucial that you seek medical treatment as soon as you begin to experience any type of pain or adverse effects.
Ideally, all crash victims will seek medical care immediately following the incident, even if they do not feel any pain. However, we do understand that some victims will not do so. However, regardless of whether or not you seek immediate medical care or if you have sought care in the days or weeks following the crash, it is important that the insurance carriers know about your medical treatment and the injuries as soon as possible.
You should never accept a settlement from the insurance carrier right after a crash occurs. Additionally, you should never tell the insurance carrier that you are certain that you have not sustained an injury. As soon as you tell the insurance carrier that you are not injured, or as soon as you accept a settlement offer from the insurance carrier, this will essentially result in the finalization of your claim. It will be very hard to go back and secure any compensation for delayed accident injuries.
We also want to point out that you should never accept an insurance settlement until after your doctor says you have reached maximum medical improvement. For delayed accident injuries, this could take some time. You need to be sure that you have a thorough understanding of all medical expenses related to the crash before you begin to negotiate with the insurance carrier of the at-fault driver.