Every year, millions of people across the United States are involved in accidents, with more than 170,000 people every year dying as a result. Even when an accident is not fatal, though, people can suffer from severe injuries, often without realizing it. Here are five of the most easily missed injuries commonly seen in personal injury cases:
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- One of the most common types of injuries that can be missed in a personal injury case is a traumatic brain injury, or TBI. It is sometimes referred to as “the invisible injury” because of how often TBIs go undiagnosed in victims of personal injury cases, with victims suffering symptoms for weeks, months, or years without a formal diagnosis. That is because the symptoms of a TBI are often mistaken for other, more mundane ailments, preventing victims from getting the proper care they need.
- Muscle strain and sprain
- Another common type of injury seen in personal injury cases that goes unnoticed is muscle strain and sprains. These types of injuries are caused by the overextension or tearing of muscle fibers, tendons, or ligaments, resulting in significant pain and lack of mobility. That said, many people will try to simply power through these types of injuries rather than seek treatment for them, which results in the diagnosis being delayed and increases the chance of their condition worsening.
- Bone fractures
- Given how painful even a minor bone fracture can be, it might seem absurd that someone could walk around with a broken bone completely untreated. And yet, small fractures can potentially go unnoticed without medical examination, and people who have them may not even realize they have a problem until they push themselves too hard. Left untreated, these fractures may worsen and become full breaks, with all the pain and complications that entails.
- Blood clots
- When people are subjected to severe blunt force trauma, as is common in many types of personal injury cases, there is the potential that a blood clot will form. These clots can go undetected for a surprising amount of time without significant pain or discomfort, until they block a major blood vessel and cause severe medical problems. Blood clots can be detected with a thorough medical examination, but many people do not seek proper medical attention until they are already dealing with a medical crisis.
- Psychological trauma
- While not often thought of as an “injury” in the conventional sense, the psychological trauma caused by being in an accident is potentially as disabling as any physical injury. It is not uncommon for people in personal injury cases to suffer from depression, anxiety, insomnia, and a variety of other psychological problems that affect their ability to function in day-to-day life. However, far too many people fail to seek treatment for their psychological issues after an accident, suffering a deterioration in their work and personal lives without necessarily understanding why.
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, you should seek out the auto accident lawyers at Zlotolow & Associates. Our seasoned New York personal injury attorneys bring more than two decades of trial experience to your case. We serve all five boroughs of New York City, as well as Nassau and Suffolk County. Our aggressive personal injury attorneys always demand maximum compensation. We have helped thousands of clients recover through settlements and courtroom verdicts.
