How Long Should You Be Sore After a Car Accident
It’s rare for someone to walk away from a car injury perfectly fine. Even a low-speed, low-impact collision can cause whiplash and other injuries. These injuries can be painful and debilitating for the weeks or months following an accident. More serious injuries can cause chronic pain lasting for months or years, and they can lead to functional limitations lasting even longer, if not the rest of your life. If you’re wondering how long you should expect to be sore after your car crash, continue reading. Call a dedicated Kingston traffic accident lawyer for advice and representation after being hit by a negligent driver in New York’s Hudson Valley.
Temporary Injuries Can Last for Six Weeks or More
Even a minor car accident can result in painful injuries. Whiplash, for example, is common even in low-speed fender benders and can lead to neck pain, back pain, headaches, and general soreness or weakness for weeks or months after your accident. In other low-impact collisions, or in other accidents in which you were lucky enough to escape without permanent injury, you still might suffer injuries including:
- Strains and sprains
- Muscle tears
- Fractured and broken bones
- Cuts, scrapes, lacerations
- Bruises and contusions
- Whiplash
- Concussion
With proper treatment, most strains, sprains, broken bones, and other typical injuries should heal within six to eight weeks. You can expect to feel soreness in your neck, back, shoulders, arms, and other damaged body parts for the duration. Pain from broken bones may last for some time even after the cast is removed. You may experience functional limitations during that time, finding it difficult to turn your head from side to side, exercise, or engage in other activities. Your specific recovery time will vary depending upon the severity of your injuries, the diagnosis from your physician, and other factors.
Long-Term Injuries Can Leave You in Pain for Years
The six-week time frame for soreness really depends upon the nature of your injuries. If your injuries were relatively minor–bruises, strains, sprains, whiplash, even a concussion–then you can expect to be sore for a month or two. In more serious car accidents, however, the pain can last much longer.
At high speeds or in catastrophic accidents involving rollovers, broadside strikes, or other
dangerous elements, car crash victims can suffer serious, long-lasting injuries. Depending upon the circumstances of your accident, you may suffer from:
- Severe spinal cord damage
- Serious traumatic brain injury
- Muscle tears
- Broken bones
- Limb amputation
- Burns
- Road rash
- Cranial damage
- Internal organ damage
These injuries can take months or years to heal. You may find yourself with chronic pain in one or more limbs, long-term back pain, headaches, and other serious consequences. Make sure you see your doctor regularly if you experience any symptoms lasting longer than 6-8 weeks and have not already been diagnosed with a serious or long-term injury. If your pain refuses to abate, if you develop new pains, or if your pain gets worse instead of better, you could have an injury that was missed in your original diagnosis.
Dedicated and Zealous Legal Assistance With a Hudson Valley Car Accident Claim
If you or someone you love has been hurt by a negligent or reckless driver in New York, find out if you’re entitled to money damages for your injuries by contacting the diligent and successful Hudson Valley car accident lawyers at Rusk, Wadlin, Heppner & Martuscello, LLP for a free consultation at 845-331-4100 (Kingston) or 845-236-4411 (Marlboro).
