How Long Should Soreness Last After a Car Accident?

If you’ve recently been in a car accident, you might wonder how long you’ll experience soreness, pain, and other common injury symptoms. Minor car accident injuries typically cause soreness lasting only a few days. However, pain from more severe injuries like broken bones, herniated discs, sprains, whiplash, and concussions can last for several weeks or more after a crash. These types of serious injuries require immediate medical attention to establish a treatment plan and maximize your recovery.

Is It Normal to Feel Sore After a Car Accident?

Feeling pain, soreness, stiffness, weakness, numbness, or tingling is common after a car accident. If minor injuries are the cause, your symptoms will likely subside in a couple of days. Symptoms that linger or worsen over time may indicate a more severe condition and need prompt medical treatment.

Another response to a car crash is to feel no pain, even if the wreck was severe. The shock of a collision can trigger a fight-or-flight reflex in some people. Their bodies release adrenaline, endorphins, and other chemicals that suppress pain from injuries so they can focus on the immediate crisis. These hormones allow people to push their bodies beyond normal limits in emergencies but may also cause them to miss vital signs of an injury.

It takes time for an adrenaline rush to dissipate. Once the fight-or-flight effect wears off, noticeable pain may set in.

What Steps Can I Take After a Car Accident to Help with Soreness?

You can do several things to address soreness and put yourself in a favorable position to pursue compensation for your car accident injuries. You should:

• Report the accident to law enforcement and request a copy of the police crash report in the following days.
• Seek medical attention immediately. Some serious injuries are not apparent without an examination.
• See a doctor as soon as you notice symptoms of a delayed-onset injury. Tell the provider you were in an auto accident.
• Follow your physician’s treatment plan and recovery instructions. Do not put off recommended treatments or rehabilitation.
• Ask your doctor for a written copy of any medical restrictions on your work duties. Give your employer a copy and discuss whether you can perform light-duty work or need to take time off.
• Obtain copies of your medical records.
• Keep all bills, invoices, and receipts of your medical expenses.
• Collect your pay stubs or income statements to document lost wages from missed work.

How Long Might It Take for Symptoms of Injuries to Show Up Following a Car Crash?

Unfortunately, estimating when symptoms will manifest after a crash can be difficult. Everyone experiences the aftereffects of an injury differently. Some people feel sore immediately, especially if the accident occurred at high speeds. Other injuries, like whiplash and muscle strains, may take longer to appear as the tissues swell and press on nerves. For this reason, car crash victims should never assume that they’re unhurt simply because they feel “OK” after a collision. Always see a doctor for advice on symptoms to watch for in the coming days. Even a brain injury may not show up on an X-ray right away.

Are There Some Signs That My Injuries Could Be More Serious?

The discomfort many people feel after a car accident often occurs due to muscle soreness, bruising, and swelling from minor injuries. However, worsening symptoms might indicate a severe injury requiring timely medical intervention. Symptoms of a more serious injury include:

• Severe pain that makes movement or sleep difficult
• Pain that does not subside or worsens
• Persistent or worsening headaches or neck pain
• Back pain
• Shoulder and chest pain
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Irregular heartbeat
• Stomach or abdominal pain
• Numbness or tingling in the extremities (e.g., hands, arms, feet, and legs)
• Dizziness or issues with balance and coordination
• Behavioral changes, including mood swings, changes to sleeping or eating patterns, or agitation
• Severe weakness or paralysis of any body part

What Are Some Signs of a Soft Tissue Injury?

Soft tissue injuries affect the body’s supportive and connective tissues, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, or cushioning discs between bones. They can become injured when they’re stretched, torn, or inflamed. Car accidents may cause soft tissue injuries because of blunt force trauma or the force of impact on the occupants’ body parts, stretching them beyond their normal range of motion.

Common soft tissue injuries include sprains, strains, contusions (bruises), and whiplash. Signs of a possible soft tissue injury in a car accident include:

• Persistent or worsening pain or soreness
• Stiffness
• Weakness
• Decreased range of motion
• Instability in joints
• Grinding or clicking sensations in joints
• Inability to put weight on joints
• Numbness or tingling

Contact an Alabama Car Accident Lawyer

If you continue to feel symptoms of injury in the days and weeks after a car crash, this may indicate you have suffered a more serious injury. You have a right to seek compensation for your financial and personal losses, including the medical care you need to treat your injuries and the wages you lose if you cannot work. An Alabama car accident attorney from Gartlan Injury Law can help.

Our experienced lawyers will pursue maximum compensation in your car accident case, fighting hard for the money you need while you heal. Contact us today for a free consultation.

Visit Our Alabama Car Accident Law Offices