How Long After a Car Accident Can Injuries Appear?

Sep 20, 2024 | Blog, Auto Accidents

In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, you might feel fine and not think you sustained any significant injuries. You might even refuse medical treatment on the scene of a car crash because you don’t sense anything is wrong. But you might be surprised to hear the answer to the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?”

The truth is that you won’t always notice injuries right after a car accident occurs. It could take hours or, in some cases, even days for signs and symptoms associated with car accident injuries to show up. Even serious car accident injuries like whiplash or a concussion can go undetected for an extended time before symptoms start to appear.

Continue reading to find out the definitive answer to the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?”

Why Don’t All Car Accident Injuries Appear Right Away?

According to a Forbes report, about 5.2 million car accidents take place every year. Over 3.6 million of these car crashes lead to property damage but no injuries. This shows there is a chance you might not sustain any injuries during a car accident.

However, just because you don’t feel hurt right away following a car crash doesn’t mean car accident injuries won’t rear their ugly heads later. You might simply have so much adrenaline coursing through your veins that you don’t feel pain from injuries like you normally would. Once it wears off, you may start to sense pain stemming from car crash injuries.

Which Car Accident Injuries Are More Obvious Than Others?

While some car accident injuries might not appear immediately, others will be obvious from the second a car crash ends. If, for example, you break your leg or sustain a large laceration on your head, you’ll see signs of these injuries almost instantly.

Any injury that causes bleeding will produce obvious signs. You might also quickly begin to experience swelling when you break a bone since this is your body’s way of protecting a part that is injured.

About How Long After a Car Accident Can Injuries Appear?

Although some car accident injuries will appear right away, others might take upwards of a week to start to exhibit symptoms. They can create complications when you’re trying to answer the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?”

Whiplash is a good example of a car crash injury that isn’t always obvious. You can sustain whiplash in a car accident that involves your head and neck jostling back and forth. You might also suffer a concussion in this case since your brain can strike your skull.

You might not see any whiplash or concussion symptoms for up to a week, though. You might also see delayed car accident injury symptoms when you sustain injuries like:

  • Herniated discs in your back
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Internal bleeding

You might even suffer from delayed mental health issues following a car accident. For all these reasons, it’s better to be safe than sorry by receiving medical attention after a car crash, even if you don’t feel injured.

Did You Sustain Injuries in a Car Accident? Touch Base With Us Today

The answer to the question, “How long after a car accident can injuries appear?” can change based on the specific injuries you sustain. No matter which injuries impact you after a car crash, a car accident lawyer from Geoff McDonald & Associates can assist you in filing a compensation claim against an at-fault driver. Call us at 804-888-8888 or contact us online to gather more information on creating a compelling car accident case.

Geoff McDonald and Associates: 804-888-8888.

FREE CONSULTATION

No Fees Unless We Win







    How Failed Motorcycle Inspections Can Impact Your Accident Case

    According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Virginia is home to nearly 200,000 registered motorcycles. If you own one, you’ll need to arrange to have an annual motorcycle inspection performed to help avoid liability in case of a potential motorcycle...

    How To Secure a Police Report for a Car Accident: A Complete Guide

    The first thing you should do after being involved in a car accident is call 911. A 911 operator can send police out to the accident scene to investigate your crash and create a police report. From there, it’s up to you to figure out how to secure a police...

    How Virginia Dashcam Laws Affect Your Rights as a Motorist

    Nowadays, more and more people are using dashcams while driving. They rely on these as a form of objective proof in case of an auto accident. However, whether this works or not all depends on Virginia dashcam laws.  So, how do these laws impact dashcam usage? Are...

    5 Reasons To Hire a Richmond, VA Car Accident Attorney After a Crash

    After a car crash, you are in a delicate position. At this time, every action is critical. One of the options many professionals recommend is to hire a Richmond, VA, car accident attorney.  The advantages of doing so are numerous and may be a huge asset to you going...

    Our Case Results

    $4,700,000
    Industrial Plant Accident

    Attorneys for the Plaintiff: Jeffrey A. Breit and Justin M. Sheldon Our client was killed in an industrial accident when an unauthorized worker was operating an overhead crane and pinned our client between…

    $1,750,000
    Rear-End Crash

    Our client suffered a traumatic brain injury, facial trauma, a dislocated hip and severe abdominal trauma when she was rear-ended at a traffic light by a tractor trailer. Suit was commenced shortly after…

    $1,250,000
    Assault of Log Truck Driver

    Attorneys for the Plaintiff: Geoffrey R. McDonald, Frank H. Hupfl, Justin M. Sheldon.
    Our client suffered a traumatic brain injury after being assaulted and knocked to the ground while fueling his logging…

    $860,000
    Drunk Driving Crash

    Our client suffered neck/head trauma and a broken wrist after his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver while he was stopped at a traffic light. Upon rejection of a settlement offer of $325,000, our litigation…

    $700,000
    Rear-End Collision

    Attorneys for the Plaintiff: Justin M. Sheldon and Geoff R. McDonald, Richmond
    GMA’s client was injured as a result of a rear-end collision in the greater Richmond area. The crash occurred a little after…

    Client Reviews

    Cheryl and Rich were wonderful and patient with me throughout the case. All of my questions were answered. They really helped me through this tough time and made sure to let me know what was going on. I really thank Geoff…

    Troy Saxby

    My experience with GMA staff was first rate. They always represented in a professional way and made sure I had everything as far as paperwork. Kara and Theo made sure to answer all my questions, was always available and so…

    Shirley Brown

    Geoff McDonald & Associates is the team that you want on the field if you’re in need of top notch legal defense! Mr. Taj Henley demonstrated true customer service skills and his expertise made me feel comfortable throughout the…

    Julian Reeves

    Geoff McDonald & Associates: Thank you Taj Henley for all of your hard work and dedication! Very expeditious in my case and I was very satisfied with my settlement. Will recommend to all my friends and family!

    Shareema Williams

    Geoff is number one in my book and I especially appreciate the support of Mr Henley

    Ebony Conwell

    I was so pleased with the knowledge and support from Mr. Taj Henley

    Kideem Frierson

    Thank you Geoff McDonald &Associates. A special thank you to Mr. Taj Henley

    Denise Conwell

    Mr. Taj Henley displays exceptional professionalism for Geoff McDonald & Associates, along with commendable communication skills and customer service. By his work ethic and commitment to the people he serves his value to any…

    Justin Fitzgerald