When you suffer trauma in an Illinois motor vehicle accident, it’s not always possible to properly gauge the extent of your injuries. In fact, you might walk away from the accident scene, get checked out at the hospital and go home on the same day only to realize the following day or thereafter that you are not feeling as well as you thought. Delayed injury symptoms are common in car accidents.
One of the most common accident injuries that occur is whiplash. When you hear that word, you likely think of neck pain. However, whiplash is not only neck pain but numerous other possible symptoms as well, which may happen if the impact of a collision suddenly and forcefully jolted your neck and upper body. It’s good to keep a journal to document your symptoms as they develop, especially if another person’s negligence caused the accident that resulted in your injury.
Adverse health conditions that are often whiplash-related
Even if you were traveling 20 mph or less, you can still suffer moderate to severe injuries if another car hits you. If you experience one or more of the symptoms on the following list immediately after a collision or in the days or weeks that follow, it is logical to assume that whiplash might be the problem:
- As mentioned earlier, whiplash often results in neck pain. However, this pain doesn’t always surface right away.
- Headache is another whiplash symptom. Traumatic brain injury also typically includes head pain, so it’s critical to seek medical examination to determine an exact cause of post-accident head pain.
- Head trauma can also cause you to have memory problems, but this happens to be a common symptom of whiplash as well.
- If you feel irritable or are having trouble focusing your thoughts, you may want to inform your doctor and make sure that he or she knows you were recently involved in a car crash.
- Blurred vision, trouble sleeping and ringing in the ears can signify whiplash or other potentially serious injuries.
Receiving a prompt diagnosis is crucial toward achieving as full a recovery as possible. Many types of injuries produce similar symptoms, which is why it’s always best to seek a licensed physician’s opinion if, instead of feeling better each day, your post-accident symptoms are worsening.
Who pays for medical treatment?
You can return to your doctor as many times as necessary until you have determined the cause of your discomfort and have a plan in mind for how to treat your injuries. Beyond your initial hospital visit, you may need physical therapy or other licensed care to treat whiplash. Some people experience chronic pain issues that last a lifetime after suffering a whiplash injury. In successful civil cases, an Illinois judge can issue monetary judgment against a driver who was negligent and caused another motorist injury.