Pittsburgh motor vehicle accident: What is an invisible injury?

Pennsylvania – July 17, 2022

Invisible injuries.

Motor vehicle accident victims should be aware that they may have an invisible injury after an accident occurs in Pittsburgh. They should take the time to be screened by a medical professional and speak with a Pennsylvania accident lawyer to review reports and make certain they did not suffer bodily harm that may cause ill-effects at some time in the future.

Traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injuries can be referred to as invisible injuries because they cannot be seen without invasive diagnostic testing. Brain injuries require assessment and treatment by trained health care professionals.

• Symptoms of traumatic brain injury could be emotional with changes in mood, and irritability, reveal in physical manifestations such as headaches, nausea, dizziness, and fatigue, as well as cognitive signs involving memory problems and difficulty with attention.

Whiplash.

Whiplash is a neck injury commonly associated with motor vehicle accidents. It happens when someone experiences a forceful overextension of the neck beyond its typical range of motion. The movement is rapid, like a whip. Whiplash may be an invisible injury that can be serious and have lingering effects for months or years. Even mild cases can result in debilitating discomfort and impact daily life as an injury impossible to ignore.

• Symptoms such as neck pain may be immediate or appear several days after the injury. In addition to neck pain and stiffness, symptoms may be like TBI, including other symptoms such as headache, dizziness, abnormal sensations, or shoulder, or back pain. Some people experience cognitive, somatic, or psychological conditions such as memory loss, concentration impairment, nervousness/irritability.
• About 3 million Americans sustain whiplash injuries each year and half of those suffer related chronic pain.
• Approximately 300,000 Americans become disabled due to the pain of whiplash.
• Most whiplash injuries occur at crash speeds below 12 miles per hour.

Pennsylvania motor vehicle accident reporting.

An accident report must be filed with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Safety within five days from the mishap if collisions result in death, injury, or significant property damage. An auto accident attorney can explain Pennsylvania’s “modified comparative negligence” rule, where an individual can still recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit, but the amount of compensation will be reduced by an amount that is equal to their percentage of fault, but a plaintiff can only seek damages from the defendant if they are less than 51 percent at fault.

Hire an attorney.

Accident victims who may have experienced invisible injuries after a Pittsburgh should contact an experienced personal injury attorney at the Law Offices of Scanlon & Wojton to review police and medical reports and determine if a personal injury case should be initiated to recover damage compensation that addresses injuries and impacts to the future livelihood of the victim.

Scanlon & Wojton, Attorneys at Law
The Mitchell Building
304 Ross Street, Second Floor
Pittsburgh, Pa 15219

Phone: (412) 918-1241
Fax: (412) 235-7275

Sources:
1. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/WU01/LI/LI/CT/HTM/42/00.071.002.000..HTM
2. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/LEGIS/LI/consCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&ttl=42&div=00.&chpt=083.&sctn=001.&subSctn=000.
3. Traumatic Brain Injury / Concussion | Concussion | Traumatic Brain Injury | CDC Injury Center
4. Whiplash – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic