Every year, millions of people across the country are involved in accidents that cause them injuries or hospital visits. Sometimes, due to biological and psychological disruptions, some injuries may go unnoticed for some time and cause the unknowing person additional distress. But, can anything truly be done to address these delayed injuries?
What Are Delayed Injuries?
Delayed injuries are any injury sustained that isn’t immediately noticed by an accident victim or medical professional. Unlike other injuries that may present intense symptoms or noticeable pain, delayed injuries can often take a few days to settle in and make themselves apparent to the injured party. In some cases, adrenaline assists in masking injuries during a traumatic event. If you are wondering if you may have delayed injuries from your accident, some of the most common symptoms that allude to delayed injuries include:
- Abdominal pain
- Neck pain
- Back pain
- Tingling and numbness in certain areas
- Constant headaches and nausea
- Sleeping excessively
- Always being tired
- Memory loss
- Inability to concentrate for long periods
- Lack of energy
- Blurry vision
It is important to monitor your physical and mental state after an accident; otherwise, these symptoms can continue to go unnoticed. The more you pay attention to your body after an accident, the more likely you are to catch a delayed injury before it worsens. Some delayed injuries that can become worse over time if they aren’t addressed are:
- Concussions- Concussions are a specific type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when the brain slams up against the skull. Serious concussions can cause internal bleeding or abnormal brain swelling. Symptoms may persist for days to weeks. Concussions are important to nurture, as they can progress and worsen if a patient doesn’t take treatment seriously.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)- Brain injuries range in severity, and frequently, the less severe injuries are ignored. If you have been involved in an accident and, as a result, have experienced memory loss, altered taste, and smell, issues with your vision, or subtle personality changes, you will want to get checked on by a doctor.
- Spinal Injuries- If you have begun feeling tingling in your spine or have noticed delayed or halted movements from your limbs, that could be a sign that you have sustained some sort of spinal injury. These injuries can cause permanent paralysis or death.
- Blood clots- If there is excessive internal bleeding, blood clots can form. They can form anywhere on the body but are most dangerous when they form in the legs. These blood clots can travel upwards to the lungs or the heart and have disastrous consequences.
- Internal Bleeding- Often, internal bleeding, especially when it is excessive, can show no physical symptoms. It may take days for bruises and other external examples of internal bleeding to emerge. If unattended, excessive amounts of internal bleeding can become deadly.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)- While it is important to take physical injuries into account, it is also important to note any mental changes that a victim can experience. Some accident victims experience PTSD in the form of guilt, anger, depression, fear, or disbelief.
If you are experiencing any symptoms that you can’t explain or have come about mysteriously after your accident, visit your doctor or head to the emergency room to have your symptoms properly addressed.
What To Do If You Notice Delayed Injuries
If you happen to notice delayed injuries days after your accident, it is important to seek medical attention. If you are planning on filing a claim, additional hospital records of your delayed injuries can further help your case. It is important to understand that depending on your insurance provider and the state in which you live, your health insurance may not cover symptoms that have appeared after the date of the accident. You can check with your insurance provider before getting your delayed injuries addressed. However, it is still important to receive medical attention despite what information they may relay to you.
Filing a Claim
When filing a claim after your accident, insurance providers will want to try and settle the matter as quickly as possible. This tactic is very dismissive and will likely not yield enough money to address any injuries properly, delayed or not, and how they may progress in the future.
Hiring an attorney to assist you during this time can help reassure you that you are being cared for by someone who will fight in your best interest. Many attorneys will advise their clients not to settle or admit any liability until they have achieved maximum medical improvement. Maximum medical improvement is the state in which doctors have confirmed that you are as recovered as you will get, given your injuries. It is important to wait until this time frame because you will better understand how these injuries will continue to affect you in the future and what kind of future medical treatments and help you will need.
Legal Funding Options For Patients Who Are Financially Struggling
If you decide to go through with a lawsuit, there is a good chance that you will not see adequate financial support for a while as it remains ongoing. During this time, many plaintiffs may be financially struggling due to the surmounting costs of their medical expenses combined with their day-to-day expenses. If this is the case for you, there are a few legal funding options that can support you during this difficult time.
- Pre-settlement funding- If your lawsuit is ongoing, you can file for this type of lawsuit loan. Based on your predicted winnings, a legal funding company will provide you with a percentage of that money to address any bills or growing financial concerns that you are facing. This is not a loan. If you do not win your case, you will not have to repay the legal funding you received from your pre-settlement funding.
- Post-settlement funding- If you have won your case, it can take months to years to see any money awarded to you. This can be frustrating and stressful for those who need their winnings immediately. If you need funds, a legal funding company can give you a percentage of your awarded amount ahead of time. You will pay them back once you can access your awarded money.
Plaintiff settlement funding is very beneficial as it can greatly help those struggling with their finances throughout the extent of their lawsuit. If you are struggling financially due to your lawsuit, contact The Legal Funding Group to see what help is available to you at this time. Our plaintiff settlement funding options can help you get the cash you need.
