A number of the types of injuries we commonly see in people who have been in accidents aren’t immediately apparent right after the collision. It may take days for your neck or back to start to hurt, even though the damage was caused by the collision. And if not treated, many types of injuries will just get worse and cause other problems for you. You could find that something that starts as a twinge in your back becomes a pain that radiates down your arm or leg and affects your range of motion and ability to perform everyday tasks. Or you could find that a chronic headache you thought was just stress actually is a symptom of a brain injury caused by the impact of the collision.

For your own health and well-being, it’s important to see a health care provider as soon as you start to experience symptoms after an accident.