Long-term Effects of a Vehicle Accident

Immediately after you’ve been in a car or truck accident, there are many things happening at once. You may need an attorney to get proper insurance coverage or getting the restitution that you deserve with the help of a truck accident lawyer. You may need to take time away from work and deal with the financial aspects of being hurt, whether physically or emotionally.

However, it is important that you think beyond the first few days or weeks of an accident. Injuries from a car or truck accident are more than a few months of back pain or a few days in bed – they can last for years. It is crucial that you understand your injuries or potential injuries to keep your health in the long-term.

Whiplash

One common injury from car accidents is whiplash. Whiplash refers to an injury to the soft tissue or bones in the neck area. It includes torn ligaments, nerves, or to portions of the neck. There are immediate neck pain and stiffness, headaches, muscle injury, dizziness, and even shoulder and back issues that continue long after your accident. Although only a small portion of accident survivors with whiplash experience back pain, it is important to have the issue looked at as diagnosis is often quick and can be treated over time.

Months and even years after the initial accident and whiplash injury, individuals may experience concentration or memory issues, difficulty sleeping, severe headaches, and even jaw pain or weakness in the arms and legs. Whiplash is often fixed through routine visits to the chiropractor.

Brain Trauma

A second common injury stemming from car or truck accidents are traumatic brain injuries. These occur when a person experiences a sudden bump or forceful blow and such a dramatic impact to the head disrupts function in the brain. These injuries range from mild to quite severe, depending on the circumstances, and are described as either closed or penetrating. Closed trauma indicates movement of the brain within the skull; penetrating injuries mean that an object has entered the skull.

A traumatic brain injury may not always turn a person into a so-called vegetable, but they can trigger long-term on-set of emotional and psychological problems such as depression, aggression, anxiety, and dramatic personality changes. It is crucial that you have a thorough understanding of any medical problems to help reverse the effects of a traumatic brain injury if possible.

Emotional Trauma

It is also common to experience emotional trauma after an accident. It is lesser known – or talked about – than a brain, back, or another bodily injury due to the stigma of the situation. Survivors of truck or car accidents may experience post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, develops after a significant trauma. Common symptoms include shock, angry, agitation or irritation, fear, nervousness and heavy feelings of guilt.

Priority Health

After you’ve been in a car or truck accident, it is important to understand your injuries and the after effects of your accident. Whether you must take time away from work or are able to walk away medically fine, there are often long-term effects that stem directly from a single accident. Make sure that your health is a top priority long after your accident.