Many Missouri accident victims make the mistake of assuming they’re uninjured because they feel okay at the scene. However, hidden injuries are common and can become serious problems without proper diagnosis and treatment.
For this reason, you should see a doctor after a car accident in Missouri, even if you feel completely fine. The shock and adrenaline from a crash can mask serious injuries for hours or even days, and many conditions like whiplash, concussions, and internal bleeding don’t show symptoms immediately.
Insurance companies know this and will use any gap in medical care to argue that your injuries aren’t related to the crash or aren’t severe enough to warrant payment.
Seeing a doctor not only protects your health but it also creates important medical documentation that can help support any insurance claim.
What Hidden Injuries Show Up After a Crash?
Hidden injuries are medical conditions caused by your accident that don’t show symptoms right away. These injuries can be just as serious as obvious ones like broken bones or cuts, but they’re much harder to spot at the scene.
The force of a car crash puts tremendous stress on your body, even at low speeds. Your muscles, joints, and organs can suffer damage that takes time to become painful or noticeable.
Whiplash And Soft Tissue Damage
Whiplash happens when your head snaps forward and backward during a collision. This violent motion tears the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your neck and shoulders, causing soft tissue injuries that may not be immediately apparent.
Most people don’t feel whiplash pain immediately. Stiffness, headaches, and neck pain may not appear until hours or days after a crash and can persist without treatment.
Concussions And Mild TBI
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when your brain gets shaken inside your skull during impact. You don’t need to hit your head to get a concussion – the sudden stopping motion is enough to cause brain damage.
Concussion symptoms include confusion, memory problems, dizziness, nausea, and sensitivity to light. These symptoms can appear days after the accident and may come and go unpredictably.
Internal Injuries And Bleeding
Seatbelts and airbags save lives, but they can also cause internal damage to your organs. The force can bruise your liver, spleen, or kidneys, causing internal bleeding that’s not visible from the outside.
Watch for warning signs like abdominal pain, deep bruising across your chest or stomach, dizziness, or feeling faint. These symptoms can indicate serious internal injuries that need immediate attention.
Back And Neck Disc Injuries
The discs in your spine act like cushions between your vertebrae. A car crash can cause these discs to bulge, herniate, or rupture, putting pressure on nearby nerves and potentially causing a spinal cord injury.
Disc injuries often cause numbness, tingling, or shooting pain that radiates down your arms or legs. These symptoms may not start until days or weeks after your accident.
Shoulder And Knee Injuries
When you see a crash coming, your natural reaction is to brace yourself by gripping the steering wheel or pushing against the dashboard. This bracing can tear the rotator cuff in your shoulder or damage the cartilage in your knees.
Joint injuries are particularly tricky because they may feel fine initially but become painful and unstable over time.
Delayed Pain And Stiffness
Your body’s inflammatory response to injury takes time to develop. What feels like minor soreness on the day of your crash can turn into severe, chronic pain within a week.
This delayed pain often affects your entire body, making it difficult to work, sleep, or perform daily activities.
How Getting Medical Attention Can Impact Your Accident Claim
Missouri insurance companies scrutinize any delays in medical attention after a car accident. If you wait too long to see a doctor, they’ll argue your injuries aren’t related to the crash or aren’t serious enough to warrant compensation.
Getting medical attention within 72 hours creates a clear timeline that links your injuries to the accident. This documentation becomes crucial evidence if you need to file an insurance claim or lawsuit later.
Here’s why immediate medical care matters:
- Adrenaline masks real injuries: Your body’s stress response can completely hide the pain from broken bones, torn muscles, or internal bleeding
- Early treatment prevents complications: Minor injuries can become permanent problems without proper care
- Insurance companies look for gaps: Any delay gives adjusters ammunition to deny or reduce your claim
- Medical records provide proof: Doctor visits create official documentation that your injuries came from the crash
How Soon Should You See a Doctor in Missouri?
The sooner you see a doctor after your accident, the better for both your health and your legal claim. Missouri insurance companies are trained to look for any gap in treatment as a reason to deny or reduce your compensation.
First 24 Hours
Seeing a doctor within 24 hours can help establish timely medical documentation for your claim. If you have any concerning symptoms like severe pain, dizziness, confusion, or difficulty breathing, go to the emergency room immediately.
Even if your symptoms seem minor from what appears to be a minor car accident, an urgent care visit or call to your primary doctor creates an important medical record.
48 To 72 Hours
This 72-hour window is critical in Missouri car accident cases. Most insurance adjusters consider treatment within three days to be reasonable and will have difficulty arguing that your injuries are unrelated to the crash.
Urgent care centers are perfect for non-emergency evaluations during this timeframe. They can perform X-rays, document your injuries, and refer you to specialists if needed.
One Week And Beyond
If you’ve waited longer than a week, you should still see a doctor as soon as possible. Your health is more important than any insurance concerns, and many hidden injuries don’t become apparent for several days.
Be prepared for insurance companies to question the delay, but an experienced attorney can help explain why you waited and protect your rights.
| Timeframe | Best For | Insurance Impact |
| 0-24 hours | Severe symptoms, strongest documentation | Maximum claim protection |
| 24-72 hours | Non-emergency evaluation | Generally accepted by insurers |
| After 72 hours | Still important for health | May face additional scrutiny |
Where Should You Go For Care?
Choosing the right type of medical care depends on your symptoms and how urgent they are. Don’t let cost concerns prevent you from getting checked out – there are ways to handle medical bills after an accident.
ER Vs Urgent Care Vs Primary Care
The emergency room is for life-threatening situations like severe head injuries, chest pain, or difficulty breathing. Emergency rooms have the equipment and specialists needed for serious trauma.
Urgent care centers handle non-emergency issues like minor cuts, sprains, and general pain from accidents. Understanding the difference between ER vs urgent care after car accident injuries helps ensure you get appropriate care while managing costs.
Your primary care doctor is ideal for follow-up care and managing your ongoing recovery. They know your medical history and can coordinate with specialists.
What To Tell The Doctor
Be completely honest about being in a car accident and describe every symptom you’re experiencing, even if it seems unimportant. Doctors need this information to properly evaluate and document your condition.
Provide specific details about the crash, including:
- Where your vehicle was hit
- Whether airbags deployed
- If you hit your head or any other body parts
- What you felt immediately after the impact
- Any pain or discomfort you’ve noticed since
Red Flag Symptoms Requiring Immediate Care
Some symptoms indicate a medical emergency that requires immediate hospital treatment. Call 911 or go to the emergency room right away if you experience:
- Loss of consciousness or confusion
- Severe headache that gets worse
- Difficulty breathing or chest pain
- Numbness or inability to move body parts
- Severe abdominal pain or swelling
- Vomiting or dizziness that won’t stop
How Medical Records Help Your Missouri Claim
Your medical records are among the most powerful evidence in any Missouri car accident claim. They provide official, professional documentation that your injuries were caused by the crash and required treatment.
Linking Injuries To The Crash
When you tell your doctor about the accident, they’ll note in your medical records that your injuries were caused by the car crash. This creates an official link between the accident and your injuries that’s very difficult for insurance companies to dispute.
It’s crucial to be consistent when describing the accident to every medical provider you see. Any contradictions in your story can be used against you later.
Following The Treatment Plan
Insurance companies watch closely to see if you follow your doctor’s orders. Missing appointments, skipping physical therapy, or not taking prescribed medications suggests to them that you’re not really injured.
Follow every aspect of your treatment plan, including taking time off work if your doctor recommends it. Your compliance shows that your injuries are genuine and serious.
Documenting Pain And Limitations
Keep a daily journal describing your pain levels and how your injuries affect your normal activities. Note what you can’t do anymore, what hurts, and how your injuries impact your work and family life.
Take photos of visible injuries like bruises, cuts, or swelling as they heal. This visual evidence helps show the severity of your injuries over time.
What Mistakes Hurt Your Health And Claim?
Certain actions after an accident can damage both your physical recovery and your ability to get fair compensation. Knowing these common mistakes helps you protect your rights and your health.
Delaying Treatment
Waiting to see a doctor is the biggest mistake you can make after an accident. Insurance companies use any delay to argue that your injuries aren’t serious or aren’t related to the crash.
Even if you feel fine initially, get checked out within 72 hours. Hidden injuries are real and can become serious problems without proper diagnosis and treatment.
Gaps In Care
Missing doctor appointments, skipping physical therapy sessions, or stopping treatment early sends the wrong message to insurance companies. They’ll argue that if you were really injured, you wouldn’t miss medical appointments.
Complete every aspect of your treatment plan, even if you start feeling better. Your doctor will determine when you’re ready to stop treatment, not the insurance company.
Recorded Statements And Social Posts
Never give a recorded statement to the other driver’s insurance company without talking to an attorney first. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that can be used against you later.
Avoid posting about your accident or activities on social media. Insurance companies regularly check social media accounts and will use photos or comments to dispute your injuries.
Attorneys Specializing in Missouri Auto Accident Law For 35+ Years
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we’re the only law firm in Missouri that focuses exclusively on auto accident cases. We understand how hidden injuries develop and know how to document them properly for maximum compensation.
Our team has decades of experience helping accident victims and has secured substantial recoveries for our clients. Our experienced St. Louis auto accident attorneys know exactly how to handle cases involving delayed symptoms and hidden injuries.
We provide comprehensive support by:
- Coordinating medical care: We can help you find doctors who understand accident injuries, even if you don’t have health insurance
- Managing medical bills: We work with providers to delay payment and negotiate liens to maximize your settlement
- Fighting for full compensation: We pursue payment for all your injuries, including those with delayed symptoms
- Handling insurance companies: We deal with adjusters so you can focus on healing
We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you. You pay no fees unless we win your case, and consultations are always free. Contact us today to speak with our skilled legal team.
