You may have been able to walk away from a car accident, but hours, even days or weeks after the adrenaline and shock have faded, you could be hit with the full extent of the injuries you sustained in the accident. Anyone who has been in a car accident needs to be on the watch for any increased symptoms of injury that appear in the days that follow. Below are three of the most common car accident injuries that have delayed symptoms, and how you can receive the compensation that you deserve for these injuries.

Whiplash and Other Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injury is basically any injury to a "soft" party of your body, such as joints, muscles, and ligaments, not your bones. Neck pain can take a while to surface, and such soft tissue injuries can cause severe suffering and impairment, and they can also be hard to prove. That is why seeking medical treatment after a crash is imperative. You also must follow your physician's every instruction. Not only does this promote your physical recovery, but documenting your injuries and treating them can help you to financial recovery.

Whiplash is a common result of car accidents, and the delayed symptoms of this injury can include:

• Stiff, numb, or tingling shoulders and arms
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Slower reflexes
• Muscle spasms

If you have not done so already, you should go to a doctor if you see these warning signs. The sooner you deal with these injuries, the quicker your recovery can be. Severe soft tissue injuries can require weeks of physical therapy and chiropractic treatment in order to heal.

Concussions

This serious brain trauma is often accompanied by a whiplash injury, but concussions are much longer-lasting injuries. Brain function can be impaired for weeks even when a concussion is minor. Severe concussion can cause post-traumatic seizures. Some of the signs of this brain injury include:

• Headaches
• Imbalance
• Hazy eyesight
• Amnesia
• Vomiting
• Ringing ears
• Lack of focus, disorientation
• Moodiness or anxiety
• Fatigue or insomnia

Emotional Pain & Suffering

The trickiest injury of all to pinpoint is psychological harm. While general mental anguish can be covered in the compensation paid out for an injury claim, more serious mental injuries could have been sustained from a car accident. Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have resulted from car accidents before. This type of injury might not appear until months have passed since the crash.

Late-Appearing Injuries and Your Injury Claim

So how can you get compensated for this pain and suffering, as well as the medical bills that you may have racked up? This usually means that you cannot agree to a quick settlement with another driver's auto insurance. While speedy compensation sometimes makes sense, it is also sometimes in your best interests to hold off. If serious and expensive injuries appear after you have signed a settlement release, you cannot ask for any more compensation from the insurer. It is often best to wait for a settlement until you have finished your medical treatment; that way you know how much compensation you need for your medical bills.

Every case is unique, however, so there is no blanket approach to a car accident injury claim. Should you wait to sign a settlement release in your case then? Should you hold out for a higher offer? How much is your case worth? It is invaluable to have a legal professional on your side when you need to deal with insurance in order to recover after an accident. Contact an experienced car accident attorney from our directory today!