When we think of car accidents that cause injuries, we usually assume there’s been a high-speed accident. Obviously, two vehicles colliding at highway speeds can result in serious injuries and extensive property damage. Did you know, however, that even slow-speed, relatively minor crashes like “fender benders” can still cause major injuries?
You should visit a doctor following any car wreck, even if you have no symptoms at the scene. Injuries may take hours or days to fully appear, and if you end up bringing a claim for compensation, medical documentation is vitally important.
Pay attention to these signs that may indicate serious injuries following a slow-speed crash:
- Headaches: we all get headaches from time to time, but after a car accident, they could indicate trauma, brain damage, blood clots, neck injury or even a stroke
- Neck and shoulder stiffness: whiplash (soft-tissue damage and injury) occurs most often in slow-speed crashes where the vehicles were traveling 14 miles per hour or less; stiffness and pain are the first indicators of this often-debilitating condition, but they could also result from cervical vertebrae fractures, herniated disks or pinched nerves
- Mental fog: a feeling of brain “fogginess” (difficulty concentrating, memory problems and more) is often reported by concussion patients and those that have suffered other traumatic brain injuries
- Numbness in the hands: numbness or a “pins and needles” sensation is associated with severe whiplash, as well as with spinal cord damage, herniated disks and pinched nerves
- Abdominal pain and discomfort: abdominal pain is to be expected when the seat belt locks up in a high-speed crash, but the same thing can occur in low-speed accidents; this can indicate internal organ damage and bleeding which, if left untreated, could prove fatal
An experienced personal injury attorney can explain more about your legal rights and option following an injury-causing car accident.