If you’ve been injured in a car accident, it is not uncommon to feel pain and discomfort right away. In some instances, though, symptoms might not present themselves right away due to shock or the adrenaline rush you experienced after the crash. Some conditions simply take time to become painful.
When symptoms arise and how long you feel pain after a car accident will often depend on the type and nature of the injuries you sustained.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident in the Tampa Bay area, turn to Zervos & Calta, PLLC, for help. With over 45 years of combined experience, our attorneys have the knowledge and skill to represent the rights and interests of people seriously injured in car accidents due to someone else’s negligence or recklessness.
We believe in taking a personalized approach with each client, including taking the time to answer your questions, explain your options, and understand your needs and goals. We stay up to date on the progress of your recovery. We will always make ourselves available to help you with any issues or difficulties that may arise for you following an accident.
Contact us today for a free initial case review if you have been injured and are experiencing pain after a car accident. We are ready to discuss how our firm can help you pursue financial compensation and move forward with your life.
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What Physical Pain Should You Look for After an Accident?
Even if you do not experience any pain or other symptoms of injury immediately after a car crash, you may end up experiencing delayed pain due to injuries you sustained in the crash. Common types of pain that may occur in the days and weeks following an accident that may suggest that you suffered an injury in the crash include:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Neck and shoulder pain
- Numbness and tingling in feet, legs, hands, and arms
- Back pain
- Abdominal pain
Other symptoms of a potentially serious nerve, spinal, or brain injury include fatigue or excessive tiredness, coordination issues, loss of strength, altered senses, memory or cognitive problems, or abrupt changes in behavior.
Can Your Pain Be Delayed?
Delayed pain or other symptoms of injury frequently occur from physical injuries suffered in a car accident. Certain injuries do not manifest pain or other symptoms until hours, days, or even weeks after the injury was sustained. For example, you may not begin showing signs of a concussion for hours or days after an accident, while internal injuries may not begin causing symptoms for several days after an accident. Some neck and back injuries may not cause pain for up to a week or longer after an accident.
In addition, the shock of being involved in a car accident can lead to a rush of adrenaline and endorphins as part of a person’s “fight-or-flight” reflex, which may occur when a person is exposed to a dangerous or potentially life-threatening situation. However, this response can also dull a person’s sensations of pain or other feelings of injury. As you naturally calm down in the hours and days following a car accident, you may finally begin to feel pain or other indications of injuries that you suffered in the accident.
How Long Will the Pain Last?
Unfortunately, it can often prove difficult to estimate how long pain from injuries suffered in a car accident may last. How long you may feel pain after an accident may depend on factors such as:
- Where you were sitting in the car
- Whether you were wearing a seat belt
- Whether your car’s airbags deployed
- The speed your vehicle and the other vehicle or vehicles were traveling
- The size of your vehicle and the other vehicles involved in the accident
- The point of collision
- If you have any preexisting injuries or other contributing medical conditions
If your pain does not go away on its own after a couple of days, continues to worsen, or you begin experiencing new types of pain, you should see a physician as soon as possible to see if you might benefit from certain types of treatment. These may include pain medication, massage, physical therapy, or potentially even epidural injections or surgery for damage that will not heal or for chronic, debilitating pain.
How Long After an Accident Can You Still Receive Compensation?
Under Florida’s statute of limitations on car accident claims, you generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit to seek compensation for injuries sustained in a crash. Although you can pursue compensation through settlement negotiations before filing a lawsuit, if you end up filing a lawsuit after the statute of limitations expires on your claim, you will lose the right to pursue your claim for compensation in court.
When Should You Contact a Lawyer?
If you were involved in a car accident, you should contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after the crash. The best time to investigate a car accident occurs right after the crash before the accident scene is cleaned up, vehicles involved in the collision are repaired, or participants’ and eyewitnesses’ memories of the accident begin to fade. By speaking to a car accident lawyer soon after being involved in a crash, you give your attorney the best chance at recovering all available evidence from the accident.
In addition, by waiting to speak to a car accident lawyer, you run the risk of missing deadlines and losing out on eligibility to pursue legal options or avenues for compensation. If you wait too long, you might miss out on the compensation you need to treat your injuries and help with your recovery from the accident.
If you have been hurt in a car accident in the Tampa Bay region (Tarpon Springs, Spring Hill, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, just to name a few), contact Zervos & Calta, PLLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your rights and options for recovering compensation for your pain and other losses.
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About the Author
Angela Zervos
Angela has spent more than 20 years of her legal career fighting for personal injury victims – and against big insurance companies. As a true trial lawyer, she takes on a wide variety of personal injury claims, including those involving motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents, medical malpractice, traumatic brain injuries, and wrongful death. Prior to starting her own law practice, Angela secured more than $80 million in settlements and jury verdicts for her clients – a 90 percent success rate since 2002. Her efforts on behalf of her clients have resulted in numerous accolades. For example, Angela maintains a “Superb” 10.0 rating from AVVO, an “AV Preeminent” rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and she is ranked among the Top 100 civil trial lawyers by the National Trial Lawyers Association. Zervos & Calta, PLLC serves the entire Tampa Bay area – including Pinellas County, Pasco County, Hernando County, and Hillsborough County – from offices in Tarpon Springs, Spring Hill, Clearwater, and St. Petersburg.
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