After a motor vehicle accident occurs, its survivors can become very disoriented. Although physical trauma may not be immediately apparent or mentally registered by the victims, it can be very real. The resulting chaos from a truck accident can be much worse than in a car crash, since trucks are bigger, more powerful, and can result in grave injuries. Those involved can feel confused and make rash decisions, such as refusing medical treatment at the scene or not getting examined by a physician immediately following the event.
The symptoms of an underlying injury may not present themselves until later. Without treatment, they can snowball into even more serious or debilitating conditions. The sooner an injury is diagnosed, it can be successfully treated. Carefully monitoring the injury afterwards is also important, as is being vigilant about checking for new symptoms.
Symptoms
Although everyone is different, there are delayed symptoms that are common to truck accidents. These can appear days or weeks after the crash. A headache that lasts for several days can be an indication of something quite severe, such as whiplash, a concussion, or a brain injury. Even if a person’s head does not contact anything during an accident, the brain can jolt. Other signs of whiplash include neck and shoulder pain, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, and personality changes.
Internal bleeding symptoms can also show up later and may be life-threatening. Truck accident victims that see overly large bruises, abdominal pain, dizziness, or abdominal swelling should head to an emergency room as soon as possible.
Persistent lower back pain, tingling, numbness, and weakness in the arms or legs can be symptoms of pinched nerves, herniated disks, strains, and sprains. The stress from a truck accident can also lead to post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental illnesses, which may take even longer to appear. These can include flashbacks or frequent nightmares and can be prevalent in children that are involved in truck accidents.
Signing a Release of Liability Prematurely
With truck accident claims, the injured party may be asked to sign a release of liability for the at-fault driver’s insurance company once the claim is settled. Once signed, these forms prevent the victim from initiating any further litigation. Signing this form can be a costly mistake if done so before the injury is diagnosed. Anyone that has been in a truck accident should have a thorough medical evaluation before proceeding with a claim. It is also important to ascertain what any future medical costs will be; these can be substantial for life-threatening conditions.
West Chester Truck Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Advocate for Victims of Truck Accidents
Truck accident claims can be complicated, especially when you are suffering from a related injury. Call the experienced West Chester truck accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. for a free consultation today at 610-565-3701 or complete an online form. With offices in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, we represent clients in Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.