What Are My Options for Delayed Injuries from an Accident?

You may have thought the accident you experienced first-hand was severe. This is why you may be surprised that you do not see any visible injuries or feel any physical pain afterwards. You may feel lucky enough to walk away from the scene unscathed. However, in the coming days, weeks, or even months, certain signs and symptoms of serious injury may rise to the surface. If so, please follow along to find out your legal options after experiencing delayed injuries and how a proficient Passaic County personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of August R. Soltis can help you get a deserving outcome to make up for your tragic accident.

What are common examples of delayed pain and injuries?

Delayed pain and injuries from an accident may be more common than you assume. For one, many accident victims are fueled by an adrenaline response from the unexpected and impactful event. This adrenaline may initially mask the true pain they feel from their incurred injuries. But besides this, certain injuries are known for taking a while to become apparent. These may include concussions and more severe brain injuries, whiplash and more severe neck injuries, and internal bleeding.

This is not to mention the element of psychological injuries. That is, it is not unexpected for accident victims to inherit post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from the catastrophic event. This may be triggered later on by anything that reminds them of the accident. For example, after a car accident, a victim may have recurring nightmares of its unfortunate sequence of events. Or, they may be physically unable to sit inside a vehicle without experiencing flashbacks or distress. This may manifest into a loss of enjoyment of life, a diminished quality of life, and other non-economic damages.

What are my legal options with delayed injuries from my accident?

As a general rule of thumb, it is recommended to seek medical attention straight from your accident scene. This is so that medical professionals may identify any underlying bodily injuries and perform early intervention treatment plans. But also, it makes it all the easier to prove your case in your upcoming personal injury claim.

However, if you experienced delayed pain and injuries without immediate medical examinations, this does not necessarily mean you no longer have an opportunity to sue. It may just be more difficult to satisfy your burden of proof and establish the causal link between the accident event and your incurred injuries and damages.

For this, you must save all medical records and bills associated with your claimed injuries. You may even want to gain expert testimony from your treating medical professional, who may explain how you would not have received these injuries in any other way besides from your accident event.

Hopefully, your injuries are not too delayed that they surpass the state of New Jersey’s statute of limitations. Of note, for a personal injury claim, you may only have two years from your accident date. However, an argument may be made to extend this deadline to two years from when you should have reasonably discovered your injuries.

So you do not waste any more time, we urge you to pick up the phone and call a talented Passaic County personal injury attorney. You will not regret hiring the Law Offices of August R. Soltis as your legal representative.