Even a minor car accident can be a traumatic event for the people involved, and the potential trauma only becomes greater with the severity of the accident. There are different kinds of trauma when it comes to car accidents. There is the emotional trauma as the shock of the accident can have devastating psychological effects. There is also the financial trauma as you will likely be worried about medical expenses, repair bills, and other expenses caused by the accident.

However, the most profound and immediate type of trauma is the physical. A car accident can cause serious and debilitating injuries to the driver and to any passengers in the vehicle. Even what seems like a minor fender-bender can cause an injury. Despite that, some people may wonder if they need to see a doctor after a car accident; they absolutely should, but the reasons may vary from person to person. In addition to seeing a doctor, anyone involved in a car accident should also hire a personal injury attorney. That is because an attorney gives you the best chance of getting the compensation you need to take care of your medical bills and other injury-related expenses.

Injuries That Can Be Caused By a Car Accident

There are a wide variety of injuries that can be caused by even a minor car accident. Some of them will be immediately obvious while others may not manifest until hours, or even days, after the event.

Soft Tissue Injuries

As the name suggests, these are injuries to the soft tissues of the body like the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. These types of injuries are usually indicated by bruises and discolorations to the injured area. Whiplash is one of the more common types of soft tissue injuries in car accidents. Soft tissue injuries are among the kinds that may not be immediately noticeable in the aftermath of the accident.

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Some will show up right after the accident while in some cases the person may not realize that they were injured until much later. Internal bleeding is one such scenario where the effects of the injury may not be revealed until later on. That is why it is important to see a doctor after a car accident; they will conduct thorough tests to determine if you have an injury that has not yet manifested.

Cuts and Scrapes

These types of injuries are the most immediately noticeable after an accident because they will usually be accompanied by bleeding and pain in the affected area. The severity of the injury can vary from minor scrapes to deep lacerations. In either case the injury must be treated as quickly as possible, especially in the case of deep cuts. That is because the loss of blood could lead to serious consequences. Even in cases where blood loss is not a concern, infection could be, which is why early treatment is necessary.

Broken Bones

These are fairly common in car accidents but they are less common if the people involved were wearing seatbelts and the airbags deployed. Even then it can be possible to experience breaks or fractures, though the more protection the driver and passengers have, the less serious these injuries could be. In the best case scenario, the occupant of the vehicle could receive minor fractures that will heal quickly and will not disrupt their lives too much. In the worst case scenario, the occupant could have major bone breaks that require surgery and weeks of rehabilitation.

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Head Injuries

These are among the most serious kinds of injuries because they could affect someone permanently. They could even result in death. The types of head injuries caused by car accidents could include skull fractures, brain haemorrhages, or brain damage. Concussions are also a distinct possibility and even though they are among the less severe kinds of head injury you could experience in a car accident, they are still extremely serious.

You Should See a Doctor and a Lawyer After a Car Accident

As you can see, there are many reasons why you need to see a doctor after a car accident even if you do not think that you were seriously injured. A car accident can cause serious injuries that may not get revealed until much later on. If you consult a doctor early on, then you can nip those problems in the bud early on before they worsen. And of course if you do have immediately noticeable injuries, then you should see a doctor right away to get the treatment that you need.

You should not hesitate to see a doctor even if you are worried about paying for your medical bills. That is because your insurance company, or the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident, will take care of your medical bills and other accident-related expenses like repair bills or lost wages. However, if you want the best chance of getting the payout you need to cover those expenses, then you should hire an experienced personal injury attorney. They will fight to get you the compensation that you need to take care of your doctor visits and other medical expenses so that you can get back to full health as soon as possible.