subject: Recent Car Accident - What To Do If You've Recently Had A Car Accident [print this page] If you've had or been involved in a recent car accident then there are several issues to consider and some things to be aware of in the longer term too. When you get past the initial shock and sometimes tearful upset there are a few practical things that you need to deal with.
First is the question of injury. Depending on the speed of the impact there are several different injury patterns that can develop after a car accident. The early stages often involve the development of neck pain in a pattern more typical of what's commonly termed a whiplash injury. Other types of symptoms can show themselves in the days, weeks or months that follow.
You'll probably be aware that it's neck pain that most people experience after a car accident injury situation. Sometimes this goes along with headache or stiffness. However, it's really not unusual to also experience other rather odd problems such as difficulty in swallowing, pins and needles in the hands, or even emotional difficulties like tearfulness or lack of concentration and depression.
Later injury problems might include the onset of low back pain or shoulder and arm symptoms. Back pain after whiplash injury is now recognised as a common problem. For years doctors mostly focussed on the upper part of the body but there is a growing awareness of the way that the legs and lower back can be affected too.
But it's not just the injury you need to deal with it it? All of us who've been involved in a car accident know how stressful it can be to fill out the claim paperwork and to keeping regular touch with the insurance company or lawyer. No matter how tempted you are to delay things -please don't. It's vital that you keep your insurer up to date at all times. Don't be spooked by all the paperwork. Go slow, take your time, and work through it until you've got it completed. You'll find help about this on the website of your insurance company. It's always boring but it is vital if you want your claim settled quickly.
In summary, it's always a stressful time after you've been involved in a recent road traffic accident. The emotional distress or upset can last for many weeks or months and many people quite literally lose sleep over it all. Some even sink into a true depression. The main message is not to panic. Follow your insurance companies simple guidelines and everything will work out just fine in the end.
