How Long Should I be Sore after a Car Accident?

Car Accident

Getting into a car accident leaves many people with injuries that linger. Even minor car accidents, such as a slow-speed fender-bender at a stoplight, can cause soreness long after the accident.

Knowing when a personal injury is more serious is important to making sure the car accident victim can fully recover. Many people ignore their symptoms and just deal with it. For some people, that may lead to lifelong issues.

Car Accident Soreness

Minor car accidents should not leave people sore forever. If a person does not need medical treatment after a car accident, that probably means any soreness they feel should go away in less than a week. They may have bumps and bruises or a stiff neck, but that pain should subside within a few days.

More severe car accidents will cause more serious injuries. These can make the soreness stick around much longer. Most likely, a person injured in a major car accident will receive medical treatment and soreness will be the least of their worries. But even after they treat their major medical issues, then soreness might linger for a long time.

Ultimately, the length of time a victim is sore after a car accident will depend on many factors, including the following:

  • Impact speed
  • Location of impact
  • Size of each vehicle
  • Where the victim was seated
  • Previous injuries

Determining with certainty how long a person will be sore after a car accident is impossible. But with the right medical attention, proactive measures can be taken to help alleviate any pain and soreness.

Whiplash

Whiplash is one of the most common injuries in minor car accidents that later causes ongoing soreness. When a car is struck from behind, the car and body move forward but the head snaps back in the direction of the impact. This can cause serious neck injuries, including whiplash.

However, the victim may not notice any initial pain. In the moments after a car accident, adrenaline is running and masking the pain a victim feels. They may not realize they have suffered any injuries, especially if the accident was minor.

Over the course of the next few days, however, the victim may notice neck soreness and may even experience some shoulder pain and soreness. This is a result of whiplash, and the body is beginning to recover. To make a full recovery from whiplash, it may take a few months, though the lingering soreness should start fading rather quickly.

Do Not Ignore Issues

The most important thing to remember after any car accident is the health and wellbeing of any person involved. Ignoring pain today may cause more damage. Hoping the soreness goes away on its own may result in a lifetime of pain.

If a car accident injury victim has lingering pain more than a week after their accident, they need to seek out additional medical care. Their body may be telling them that something is wrong and they need to listen.

Washington DC Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King Help Victims Recover

Car accidents are a literal pain. Not only do you have to deal with damage to your car and getting it repaired, but also you may have lingering pain, even after a minor accident. The more serious your accident, the more likely you are to be sore for a long time. If you have been injured, reach out to the Washington DC car accident lawyers at the Law Offices of Duane O. King. We care about the welfare of our clients, and we will aggressively fight to ensure they receive the best possible compensation. Call us at 202-331-1963 or contact us online for a free consultation. Located in Washington, DC, we work with car accident victims in Prince George’s County, including Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park, Greenbelt, Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, Largo, Bowie, Capitol Heights, District Heights, Forestville, Suitland, and Seat Pleasant, Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, and Fort Washington.