Car accidents can be very dangerous and cause serious injuries. Not all car accidents result in injuries, but a new study found that many drivers and passengers in non-fatal and non-serious accidents suffer from neck injuries that often go untreated and unreported in a car insurance claim.
Roughly four million people end up being seen in emergency rooms after being involved in car accidents in the United States every year, according to researchers at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. The researchers said that more than 90 percent of people seen in the ER after an accident are discharged. This would lead many to think that these people did not suffer any serious injuries.
However, this is not always the case. The study found that many victims suffer from musculoskeletal pain six weeks after being in an accident. In addition, more than one-third of those surveyed said they had pain in four or more areas on their body.
Chronic neck or back pain after a car accident is a common injury in the U.S., and many victims suffer from persistent pain for several weeks, even months after the accident. This is a serious issue since many car accident victims who go to the hospital are discharged after being evaluated.
Why are some car accident victims’ injuries not diagnosed or treated immediately after an accident? Part of the reason is that people may not immediately feel pain in their neck or back after a car accident. Some people start developing symptoms of whiplash and other neck and back injuries several hours after the crash so if they went to the hospital before having any symptoms, the hospital wouldn’t be able to diagnose or treat them.
In other cases, some victims may not seek medical attention even after they develop symptoms because they may think it is just minor pain or that the doctor won’t believe they are in pain if it has been several weeks after being in a car accident.
It is very important for victims to seek medical attention after a car accident, even if it has been several weeks since the crash. Car accidents can cause long-term chronic pain so it is vital to get medical attention to prevent any further damage and to reduce your pain.
Source: Consumer Affairs, “Study: post-accident neck pain is common,” Mark Huffman, Jan. 21, 2014
