Popular media sometimes depicts grifters exaggerating their injuries after car crashes. They exit their vehicles holding their necks or limping, only to magically recover when they realize the other person doesn’t have much money.
The opposite can very easily occur in a real-world car crash scenario. People may feel fine after the initial crash occurs. They may have no major symptoms of injuries. They may then realize later that they actually require medical care.
The idea that people with serious injuries might overlook them after a car crash may confuse people. However, there are very reasonable explanations for why people may not realize that they require medical attention after a wreck.
The body hides injury symptoms
The human body has the ability to help someone get out of a dangerous situation. The stress response, which some people call the fight-or-flight response, could save an individual’s life during a natural disaster or an interaction with an apex predator, like a bear.
The brain floods the body with chemicals that give people energy and hide their sensation of pain. While that may be helpful for those who need to fight or flee a predator, it can be damaging for someone with car crash injuries.
It is generally beneficial for those involved in major collisions to see health care professionals as soon as possible afterward. Doctors can diagnose injuries that they may have overlooked or can give them peace of mind by confirming they don’t have any serious injuries.
Some conditions have delayed symptoms
Many of the worst medical issues associated with car crashes have delayed symptom onset. An individual with a brain injury, for example, may not have any symptoms until their condition progresses beyond the initial stages.
The bleeding or inflammation of the brain may slowly worsen and produce new symptoms if the injured person doesn’t receive timely medical treatment. The same can happen in scenarios involving internal bleeding in the torso. People can also have stable spinal cord injuries or fractures that they don’t recognize as cause for concern until their symptoms eventually worsen.
Understanding how easy it is to overlook collision injuries can help people respond more appropriately after a car crash. Proper diagnosis and treatment can help improve an individual’s prognosis and protect their right to hold the driver at fault accountable for their losses.
