When a person is involved in a car crash, it can be an extremely stressful experience. The majority of crashes occur with no warning, in split seconds, and is usually a shock to all those involved. Many drivers’ first instinct is to check on anyone in the vehicle with them to make sure they are not injured before they even think to see if they have suffered a car accident injury. This is especially true of parents with young children.
Some of the more common car accident injuries include concussions, back and neck injuries, soft tissue damage, and fractured bones. All too often, however, victims of car accidents do not immediately realize they have been injured, especially if there are no obvious symptoms, such as bleeding. Because of this, it is recommended that anyone who has been in a crash should seek medical attention to make sure there are no injuries.
Fight or Flight
The human body has many self-protection tools. For example, immediately following a traumatic event, such as hearing and feeling the huge impact of another vehicle slamming into your vehicle, the body is flooded with the fight or flight hormone. This hormone, called either adrenaline or epinephrine, is the hormone that prepares our body when we are facing danger. The hormone elevates our heart rate, dilates our pupils, and increases sweat production. But it also blocks the body’s recognition of pain.
This is medically referred to as stressed-induced analgesia. It is the same condition that allows an athlete to continue playing after a tendon tear. While it is supposed to be a protection, when it happens to car accident victims, it can be particularly dangerous for a victim of a car accident because the adrenaline could be masking symptoms of an injury, including any pain it could be causing. And because they do not think they have been hurt, they do not get medically checked out.
There are many car accident injuries that can worsen and become dangerous if not treated right away. Some of these include concussions or other head injuries, whiplash, and internal injuries. The danger is that by the time symptoms finally do appear, the victim can be very close to severe injuries or even death.
Contact a Va. Injury Attorney for Help
If you have been injured in a traffic accident, contact a seasoned Virginia Beach car accident attorney. Our dedicated professionals are here to answer your questions and help you understand your rights. We are happy to meet with you and discuss what type of legal recourse you may have because of your injuries.
The legal team from Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp has been advocating for victims and their families for more than 35 years and will use all available resources to obtain the best result possible for the circumstances of your injury case. Call our office today at 800-752-0042 for a free case evaluation.