In the immediate aftermath many injury victims do not realize they have suffered soft tissue injuries in a Louisville car accident or motor vehicle crash. It is not unusual for a person to get out of the car and after giving themselves a quick surface-level examination deciding on their own they are “ok.” Many people do not seek medical attention within the 24 hours after an accident because they think they just have a few bumps and bruises.
The forces in a car accident wreak havoc on the muscles, connective tissues in your body and discs in your spinal column. The body is suddenly thrown in opposing directions, stretching or compressing soft tissues and damaging critical systems in the neck and back. Unfortunately, soft tissue injuries can take a few weeks or months to even begin to present symptoms.
For example, there are discs that provide padding between the vertebrae in your cervical spine or neck, thoracic spine or mid-back, and lumbar spine or lower back. Think of these discs as something like a jelly donut – an exterior pad filled with a softer fluid known as nucleus pulposus. A small tear (annular tear), bulge or herniation in the disc from the powerful forces of an accident allows some of that fluid to be pushed out of the disc over time. This is why it takes several weeks to know you have suffered a serious injury. Once the inner fluid escapes the disc, the disc space shortens, and the neighboring vertebrae can begin to rub on one another. This can also cause pressure on the spinal cord itself. The muscles surrounding the vertebrae will attempt to pull things back into alignment. Three weeks after the accident you are bedridden, unable to move and in immense pain. You are going to miss a lot of work. Soft tissue injuries in a Louisville car accident will lead to substantial medical bills, lost wages and other expenses not to mention the pain and challenges you will face on the road to recovery.
Now let’s return to the example of the person who thinks they’re fine after the accident and doesn’t go to see a doctor within 24 hours. Four weeks after the accident they are basically incapacitated resulting in high medical bills and lost wages. The insurance adjuster from the accident says “this wasn’t caused by the accident. You didn’t even see a doctor. You must have injured yourself at work, or in some other way.” With that, they refuse to pay your claim and there is usually nothing which can be done to help. You need to take immediate action after an accident – see a doctor and call Hargadon, Lenihan & Herrington.
Soft tissue injuries in a Louisville car accident may not be immediately recognizable. Anyone involved in a collision should at least visit their primary care physician or an urgent care within 24 hours of the accident to be thoroughly examined. You are also going to need an experienced and proven injury attorney. We invite you to review the recommendations of the legal industry and our former clients and contact the proven injury attorneys at HLH for a free consultation at (502) 583-9701. We will help you to understand the process and manage your legal claims to seek full compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, expenses and compensation for the injuries and recovery you’ve been forced to endure.