The Car Crash Was Months Ago, but You’re Just Now Feeling the Pain

Is it too Late to File a Claim?

The human body can behave in mysterious ways. This is especially true for someone who has been hurt in a car accident. Although an injury has occurred, it can take a while for associated pain and other symptoms to surface. When this is the case, is it ever too late to file a personal injury claim or seek any kind of restitution?

The truth is that in the excitement of the moment, it is easy to miss the signs that would normally clue you in to the fact that your body has suffered a physical insult. This is more likely to be the case when the accident from which the trauma ensued was relatively minor. However, the lack of any immediate symptoms can be misleading. After the initial shock has worn off, the pain is likely to surface, letting you know to your surprise that you have indeed been hurt.

The Truth About Silent Injuries

When you break a bone, you’re going to know it right away. However, not all accidents result in this type of trauma. The force of a car accident will often stress the joints, ligaments and tendons without necessarily causing any fractures. This is the type of injury for which you may feel no pain whatsoever until hours, days or even weeks after the fact.

Whiplash is another example. This common injury occurs when the force of coming to a sudden stop throws the head violently forward, then snaps it back. The powerful nature of this motion forces your brain to collide with the inside of your skull, often resulting in disorientation or even a loss of consciousness.

However, this is not always the case. Many symptoms of whiplash-induced concussion are subtler and can appear days to months later in the form of fuzzy thinking and an unaccustomed inability to concentrate. Headache, dizziness, blurred vision and even nausea are common symptoms. The sufferer may have ongoing memory problems and lack his or her usual energy while exhibiting a tendency to sleep for extended periods or to suffer from insomnia.

Any of these symptoms can signal a brain injury for which the sufferer should seek medical treatment. However, regardless of whether any symptoms have yet had a chance to surface, it is always in the best interests of anyone involved in a car accident to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Statutes of Limitations

Every state has instituted strictly proscribed lengths of time during which the law expects people to report their car accidents and permits them to file suit for personal injury damages. Nevada is no exception.

With most car accidents, law enforcement will get involved and when it does, it will take care of the reporting. If it does not and the crash has caused at least one person to suffer personal injury or resulted in someone’s death, Nevada expects you to report it to the police immediately, preferably over the phone.

Where claims for personal injury are involved, the length of time during which a person can file will vary from one state to another. In Nevada, an injured person who fails to initiate the personal injury claim within two years following the date of the accident itself will lose the chance to do so. The same amount of time applies to filing a wrongful death suit on behalf of someone who died as the result of a car accident, only in this case, the clock does not begin to tick until the date of that person’s demise.

Collecting Damages

Following a car accident, the act of filing a personal injury claim in Nevada can be complicated and fraught with frustrations. Most people will not attempt this without the assistance of a skilled personal injury lawyer. In the Las Vegas area, you’ll find that lawyer at Lloyd Baker Injury Attorneys. If you have just discovered that the pain you are suffering today stems from a car accident in which you were involved some weeks or months ago, don’t wait any longer than you must. To protect your legal rights and obtain the compensation to which you are entitled, call Lloyd Baker Injury Attorneys for a free consultation today.