When a motorcycle accident involves seemingly minor scrapes and bruises, the temptation is strong to quickly get past the unpleasant experience and resume your normal daily routine. However, not getting a physical examination by a doctor is a mistake. You may have internal soft tissue injuries that aren’t immediately apparent because there’s no external wound or bleeding.

You may not feel the injuries at first because the accident may have triggered pain suppressing hormones. In addition, it may take time before tissue inflammation and/or internal bleeding to become extensive enough to cause pain. Even people in car accidents, with their seatbelts and airbags, can suffer hidden injuries. The motorcyclist who is thrown or falls from his bike, suffers a more violent experience than a motorist in a car. He is more likely to suffer injury in so-called “minor” accidents.

Injuries that aren’t always apparent at the accident scene include:

• Whiplash. Caused by an overextension of the neck when it’s whipped forward and backward in an accident. Whiplash often exhibits delayed symptoms.
• Traumatic brain injuries. These include concussion, coup-contrecoup, and contusion. The bruising and bleeding in the brain may take time to build up to a level where the victim feels their symptoms. People suffering from a traumatic brain injury can feel normal at first and die within 24 hours because they delayed seeking medical attention.
• Internal organ damage. The medical effects of this may take time to manifest. Inflammation of damaged tissue and internal blood pooling can take time before they affect nearby nerves and cause pain. Internal organ damage can have serious consequences when the victim doesn’t seek prompt treatment.
• Spine and back injuries. A spinal injury can also take time before it manifests symptoms. If the injury involves nerve damage, the symptoms may present elsewhere such as in a foot or leg.

Get a medical checkup by a doctor after the accident. If you are diagnosed with an injury, then talk to a motorcycle accident lawyer if the accident involved a reckless or negligent motorist. Contact us at Hogan Injury for a free consultation.