Even though every driver is aware of the risks, they never think an accident will happen to them… until it does. Getting into any car accident is a proverbial shock to the system.
Whether it’s a minor fender bender or a major collision with a semi-truck, your body is going to have a physiological response in the form of shock. How deeply that shock affects you will depend on the severity of the accident. Too often, shock compounds any potential injury and has to be treated first before any wound, fracture, or other injury can be treated.
Just as you should know what steps to take after a car accident, you should also recognize the symptoms of shock and how they might impact your recovery journey.
Recognizing the Common Physical Symptoms of Shock
When a person goes into shock, it is considered an acute medical condition that requires immediate attention. Shock occurs when your body can’t deliver enough oxygenated blood to your vital organs. This happens when there is internal or external bleeding or other trauma, either physical or emotional.
The common physical symptoms of shock can include the following:
- Your skin suddenly becomes pale, cool, or clammy.
- You experience rapid, weak, or irregular heart and pulse rate.
- Your breathing becomes shallow, fast, or rapid.
- You feel dizzy, lightheaded, or faint.
- You experience intense weakness or lethargy.
- Your pupils dilate.
- You feel nauseous, or you vomit.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident and experience any of those symptoms within the first 24 hours, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Identifying Emotional and Psychological Impact After a Crash
The impact of a serious car crash is not limited to physical injuries. You can also suffer from emotional and psychological trauma. This might take longer to manifest, but it can present with mood swings, insomnia, social withdrawal, irritability, and guilt. Some of the key indicators of psychological distress include the following:
- Intrusive Thoughts
- Avoidance Behaviors
- Anxiety and Hypervigilance
- Mood Changes
- Emotional Numbness
If left untreated, this type of shock can lead to the development of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It can also develop into vehophobia, an intense fear of driving or being in a vehicle. These are the types of injuries that take far longer to recover from and often require intense, ongoing therapy.
Why Delayed Symptoms of Shock Are Dangerous
Our minds and bodies are hardwired to respond to the shock of a car accident by releasing adrenaline. This is genetically designed to provide our bodies with the energy to “run” from a dangerous situation. That happens because adrenaline masks the initial feelings of pain associated with an injury.
Because of that masking, underlying injuries such as internal bleeding, traumatic brain injury, or spinal damage might not be immediately apparent. That can lead to these injuries worsening in the hours or days after the accident.
This increases the risk of life-threatening complications such as organ failure or permanent disability.
Common, dangerous, delayed symptoms to watch for include severe headaches, abdominal pain, dizziness, numbness, and sudden, extreme anxiety.
Even if you feel fine and decline medical attention after the accident, you should still go for a complete medical evaluation so that your doctor can rule out any potential health threat.
How Shock Affects Your Personal Injury Claim
If you experienced any form of shock as outlined above, it can significantly influence the outcome of a car accident injury claim. That is especially true if your shock symptoms led to you delaying treatment or not having your injuries immediately documented.
Insurance companies are not going to release any settlement funds unless they’ve thoroughly investigated your claim.
If you were taken away from the crash accident scene in an ambulance and given immediate medical evaluation and treatment, it would be easy to link your injuries directly to the crash. However, if shock causes you to wait a few days, the insurance company might argue that you injured yourself in some way after the crash.
Obviously, with the right medical records and expert testimony, that assertion can be proven wrong, but it can mean a delay in your treatment.
The experienced Louisville car accident attorneys at McCoy & Hiestand, PLC will be fully prepared to knock down every insurance company tactic aimed at delaying or denying a claim. We have helped many clients achieve the compensation they were due for all the damages associated with a terrible car accident.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident, you need to focus on your recovery and not a tangled battle with an insurance company that only cares about its bottom line.
If we agree to work on your claim, you will find we’re fierce advocates for our clients.
It’s important that you understand all the possible challenges to your pursuit of a remedy. That is why we offer a free consultation. That talk will give us a chance to review your case, answer your questions, and discuss your options for moving forward.
Getting answers will provide you with peace of mind. Call to schedule your consultation today.
