In Pain After a Car Accident in Buffalo?

Fight for your rights with an experienced accident attorney

The crash itself may have been over in seconds, but you may feel the effects in your body for days, months, or even years afterward. Many car accident injuries are quite painful, and the effects of pain on your quality of life are profound. That’s why you need to fight for full compensation with an experienced car accident lawyer on your side.

At the Law Offices of James E. Morris, we’ve been fighting and winning for people injured in car accidents in Buffalo and throughout Western New York for decades. We understand the impact pain can have on victims’ lives, and we advocate for maximum compensation under New York law. Schedule your free consultation today.

What types of pain are you experiencing after a car accident?

The impact of a car crash can affect any part of the body. Some key types of pain that may be indicative of a serious injury include:

• Headaches: a headache after a car accident may be a sign of a concussion or another traumatic brain injury (TBI). There’s no such thing as a minor brain injury, so you should always get checked out by a doctor to avoid potentially serious complications.
• Neck pain: car accidents often cause neck injuries such as whiplash, which is caused by the hyperextension and hyperflexion of the neck when the head moves violently back and forth.
• Back pain: back injuries are common in car accidents because of the force of the seat pressing into your lower back. Back pain after a car crash may be a sign of a herniated disk, a fracture in the spinal column, a spinal cord injury, or another type of back injury.
• Muscle pain: car accidents can also cause sprains and strains due to the stretching and tearing of ligaments. Some types of sprains and strains heal quickly, but they may also be a sign of a deeper underlying injury.
• Fractured bone pain: car accidents can break any bone in the body, especially the bones in the arms and legs. In addition to being quite painful, fractures require medical intervention and sometimes surgery to make sure the bone heals properly.

What if I have delayed pain after a car accident?

Even if you’re not in pain immediately after the crash itself, pain that arises hours or days later can still be linked to the collision. There are a few reasons why you might experience delayed pain.

First, in any scary or traumatic situation, including a car accident, your body naturally engages the fight-or-flight response (medically known as the acute stress response). The body is flooded with adrenaline and other chemicals that increase your energy level, sharpen your senses, and reduce your sensation of pain. The fight-or-flight response is your body’s way of helping you survive the accident itself, but it can also hide symptoms of a serious injury.

Second, certain types of injuries take time to fully set in, even though the damage was done on impact. Whiplash, for example, may not be felt until hours or even days after the accident. Back pain from a herniated disc may also be delayed because it takes time for the disc to bulge out and start pressing on nerves. Bruising, inflammation, and other symptoms likewise take time.

This is why, even if you feel alright, you should always see a doctor as soon as possible after a significant car accident. A thorough medical exam may identify underlying injuries that you haven’t even noticed yet. It’s also why you should never accept a settlement offer from an insurance company until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Just like hidden damage to your vehicle can significantly affect the cost of repairs, hidden damage to your body can significantly affect the value of your case.

We fight for full compensation for your car accident pain

If you’re in pain after a car accident, you should always talk to an attorney as soon as possible so that we can start building your case for full and fair compensation. In addition to the cost of medical treatment, pain medication, physical therapy, and other medical expenses, we also want to understand the impact of your pain on your life. Pain isn’t just physical discomfort; it affects your ability to spend time with your family or engage in your hobbies, diminishing your quality of life. That’s a real cost, and the insurance company should pay for it. We can help.

After a car accident in Buffalo, the two most important things you can do are to get medical attention and legal advice. We offer a free consultation, so there’s no reason not to get answers about your rights and legal options. Give us a call or contact us online today to discuss your case with an experienced Buffalo car accident lawyer.