If you’ve been involved in a car accident, whether you think you’ve been hurt or not, scan the list below for pain, symptoms, and conditions frequently caused by auto accidents. Do any of these ring true for you?
  • Pains, aches, soreness, and/or stiffness in neck, between shoulders, lower back, tailbone, sternum, head, jaw, ribs, shoulders, knees, hips, joints, and/or muscles
  • Numbness and/or pins and needles in legs, feet, arms, hands, and/or regions of spine
  • Bumps, bruises, and/or abrasions, even mild ones (take pictures)
  • Restricted movement of head, neck, middle back, lower back, ribs, hips, shoulders, knees, ankles, wrists, and other joints.
  • More difficulty walking, standing, bending, squatting, lifting, twisting, reaching, gripping, twisting, and/or sitting
  • Increased soreness and stiffness in back, neck, joints, and muscles in the mornings or at the end of the day
  • Difficulty doing your job, household tasks, yard work, and/or recreational and intimate activities
  • Dizziness, light-headed, confusion, lack of concentration, memory loss, ringing in ears, and/or visual disturbances
  • Fatigue, irritability
  • Difficulty sleeping, nightmares, insomnia
  • General anxiety, anxiety behind the wheel or as a passenger, increased emotional and mental stress
If you’re experiencing one or more of these symptoms, bingo! You may have been hurt. Don’t delay. See the appropriate healthcare professional right away and call a personal injury attorney for his or her expert advice on which steps to take next. As time goes on, refer back to this list and continue to pay attention to any and all symptoms, big or small, that could sneak up on you days, weeks, months, and even years after the car accident. Remember, just because you don’t have pain, symptoms, or other visible indications of an injury — right this minute — doesn’t mean you’ve escaped a hidden injury that could surface fully in the future . . . long after your car accident case is closed.