What If My Car Accident Symptoms are Delayed?

If your car accident symptoms are delayed, you may still be able to pursue damages for injuries caused by the crash. Some injuries do not cause obvious pain or symptoms right away, so feeling fine at the scene does not always mean you were not hurt.

Wettermark Keith understands that an injury may become clearer in the hours or days after a collision. If another driver caused your collision, our Birmingham car accident lawyer will look into what happened and review your medical records. 

We will also handle communications with the insurance company on your behalf and pursue damages linked to your injuries and other losses.

Some Car Accident Symptoms May Not Appear Right Away

Wettermark Keith encourages accident victims to pay attention to changes in how they feel after a crash, even if they did not notice an injury at the crash scene. In some cases, pain, stiffness, soreness, headaches, or other problems may become noticeable in the hours or days after a collision. 

A person may go home believing they are fine and then wake up the next morning feeling much different. Delayed symptoms may be associated with injuries involving the neck, back, head, joints, muscles, or other parts of the body. 

Only a medical professional can determine what is causing your symptoms and what treatment may be appropriate. A delay in symptoms, however, does not mean the crash did not cause your injury.

Seek Medical Care When Symptoms Develop

If pain or other symptoms appear after you leave the accident scene, Wettermark Keith recommends taking your health concerns seriously and seeking the appropriate medical attention.

Tell your medical provider about the car accident, when it happened, and when you first noticed your symptoms. Be clear about what you are feeling and whether your condition has changed since the crash.

Medical care serves two important purposes. First, a provider can evaluate your condition and recommend treatment. Second, medical records can document your symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and how your condition changes over time.

Continue following the treatment plan that your medical providers recommended. Missing appointments or stopping treatment without guidance from a healthcare professional may also make it harder to document the full course of your injury.

The Insurer May Ask Questions About Any Delayed Symptoms

The insurance company reviewing your claim may look closely at the timing of your medical treatment. For example, it may question whether an injury came from the crash when several days passed before you sought treatment. 

It may also point to statements made shortly after the accident, such as telling the police officer or insurance representative that you felt fine. These facts do not automatically mean your claim is over. 

What You Say About Your Injuries Can Matter

Medical records, accident evidence, and information about when and how your symptoms developed may help explain what happened. Wettermark Keith’s attorneys gather this evidence and respond when an insurer questions the connection between your injuries and the crash. 

This is one reason to be careful about making broad statements about your health immediately after a collision. You can describe how you feel at that moment without guessing about injuries that have not been diagnosed.

Keep Track of Changes in Your Condition

Documentation can become important when symptoms develop gradually. Wettermark Keith can use medical and other records to help show an accident affected a client’s health and daily life.

Keep copies of medical bills, treatment records, prescriptions, work notes, and other documents connected to your injury. It may also help to keep simple notes about when symptoms started and how they affect your normal activities.

You do not need to exaggerate what you are experiencing. Clear and accurate information is more useful when building an injury claim.

Do Not Rush to Settle Before You Understand Your Injuries

An early settlement may sound helpful when bills are adding up, but Wettermark Keith can review an insurance offer before you give up your right to pursue additional damages. 

Once an injury claim is fully settled and a release is signed, you generally cannot return later and request more money, even if your condition worsens. That can create a problem when symptoms are still developing, or you are still receiving treatment.

Before accepting an offer, it can be important to understand the injuries you have, the treatment you may need, and the losses the accident has caused. We will review the evidence and determine whether an offer from the insurer reasonably accounts for those losses.

You May Be Able to Recover Damages for a Delayed Injury

When delayed symptoms are connected to a crash that another party caused, the Birmingham personal injury lawyers at Wettermark Keith will work to identify the damages that may be included in an injury claim.

Depending on the facts, damages may include medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and the cost of medical care you are expected to need in the future. The amount available will depend on the injury and how it affects your life. 

Alabama Limits the Time You Have to File a Car Crash Lawsuit

Delayed symptoms from a car accident injury do not mean you should delay looking into your legal options. Wettermark Keith will review the accident date and determine which filing deadline applies to your case.

Under Alabama Code § 6-2-38, actions for injuries to a person generally must be brought within two years. The facts of a particular case can affect the deadline, so it is important not to assume how much time you have. 

Speaking with our attorney early can give our legal team more time to look into the accident while you receive medical care.

Talk With Our Lawyer About Delayed Symptoms After a Crash

If you are experiencing delayed symptoms after a crash, you may have questions about your claim and what you should do next. At Wettermark Keith, we look beyond the date that your symptoms first appeared to understand the history of the accident and the injuries that followed. 

With more than $1.5 billion recovered for clients and over 100,000 people served, our attorneys have handled many injury claims involving symptoms for various conditions and medical treatment. 

We bring decades of combined experience to injury cases, which we handle on contingency. You do not pay attorney’s fees unless we recover damages for you. At Wettermark Keith, It’s More To Us, It’s Personal. Call for a free consultation to discuss your legal options.