A car crash can be a traumatic and life-altering event. It can leave you with physical and emotional scars that can take time to heal. One of the most common questions that car crash victims have is, “How long until I feel better?”
We understand. You want to get your body back, your life back, your finances back. You want the pain and the stress from a car crash—that was not your fault—to end.
While we wish there was a one-size-fits-all answer to this question, there is not. Various factors determine how long it will be until you “feel better” after a car crash. These factors include the type of injuries that were sustained, the severity of the injuries, and how much treatment you received for your injuries throughout the process. It also includes factors such as age, physical condition, and pre-existing injuries.
- Immediate Physical Impact:After a car crash, it is important to seek medical treatment immediately…even if you feel fine. Some injuries, like whiplash, disc injuries, or internal injuries, may not be noticeable at first. Your adrenaline after the car accident may prevent you from feeling any pain right away, and it may take hours, days, or even weeks until you begin to notice symptoms from your car crash.
- Emotional Impact:It is important to pay attention to your emotional health, as well, after a car crash—especially if you are injured because of the negligence of another driver. Anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and a variety of other mental or emotional trauma can arise after a car crash. While some people may move beyond the emotional impact of the crash quickly, for others it may take weeks, months, or even longer to move beyond those feelings.
- Acute Phase of Recovery:The acute phase of recovery is the time when your body is actively recovering from the injuries you sustained in the car crash. During this time you will focus on treatments such as chiropractic work, physical therapy, and visits to your medical provider.
During this time, it is EXTREMELY important that you listen to your doctor’s advice. You may be referred to a specialist such as an orthopedic surgeon, a concussion specialist, a back or neck pain specialist, or another type of specialist.
Again, you should not ignore the emotional impact your car crash has on you. While your friends and family may stop asking about your injuries and how you are feeling, you may still be feeling stress and anxiety, as well as physical pain, from the car crash. Mental health care is as important as physical health care in many ways. Do not hesitate to consult with a therapist or counselor to help you navigate the complex emotions that come in the aftermath of a car crash, especially one that was not your fault.
How long this acute phase of recovery lasts is dependent on how severe your injuries are, how effective your treatment is, and whether you are following through with all the recommendations from your medical providers. A concussion or a neck or back injury may take months of treatment before you start to feel better after a car crash. In the alternative, some other injuries may require less time and less treatment before you feel back to normal.
In the worst-case scenario, there are some injuries that people face after a car crash where they never fully heal. In those cases, there may be ongoing treatment years to come or a doctor may advise that even additional treatment will not improve the injury, in which case, you will face pain for the foreseeable future.
What Should You Do Next?
At Debbie Taussig Law, we understand the pain that our clients feel daily after they have become injured because of someone else’s negligence. We want to take the burden of fighting the insurance companies off of your shoulder so that you can focus on one thing…feeling better after your car crash.
We will not only deal with the insurance companies for you, but we will also help you find the right types of medical providers so that you can receive the best treatment for your specific injuries. Not all injuries should be treated the same, and finding the right providers will make all the difference in your healing time.
With over 20 years of experience, Debbie not only knows the intricacies of personal injury law, but she also can advise you on the type of specialist that can help. She also has personal experience as a victim of a car crash, and as a result, she can relate to her clients on a deeper level and advise them as their lawyer, as well as offer compassion that only someone with firsthand experience can offer.
Call us today at 303-442-0176.
FAQs
It can take anywhere from days to weeks, months, or years for a car accident injury to fully heal. Factors like age, health status, and treatment also play a large part. Consulting with an experienced physician can help you get a better idea of how long it will take your injuries to heal.
How long does it take to emotionally recover from a car accident? ›
Everyone's recovery is different. Some people will have strong emotional responses such as fear, sadness, guilt and anger (and other people won't). These feelings are usually brief and should begin to reduce in the days and weeks after the crash. After a car crash, 70% of people are back at work within eight weeks.
How long will my body hurt after a car accident? ›
If you have been in a car accident you should expect to be sore anywhere from a few days up to six weeks, depending upon the severity of the accident. For minor car accidents, expect soreness for a few days to a few weeks. For more severe car accidents, expect soreness to last two to three months. Need Legal Help?
How much time does it take to recover from an accident? ›
Many people start to feel better after around three to six weeks, and they can start to play sports again one or two months after the injury occurred. Depending on the exact injury and the reason why it happened, patients with muscle strains could benefit from massage and physiotherapy.
How long will I be tired after a car accident? ›
If it was a minor fender bender, fatigue may only last for a few days or weeks as the body recovers from any physical injuries or shock. However, in more severe accidents where significant trauma has occurred, the fatigue can persist for months or even years.
How long should you rest after a car crash? ›
Most doctors recommend at least 48 hours of rest after a car accident. Then, depending on the severity of your injury, you may be cleared to slowly reintegrate daily exercise. Simple exercises and stretches are the best bet for a safe healing journey.
How long does your body stay in shock after an accident? ›
Physiological shock must be addressed immediately, or its effects can prove fatal. Psychological shock may pass in days or weeks with medical attention. However, conditions caused by your injuries could cause shock months or years after an accident. The symptoms of PTSD can also prove long-term, even with counseling.
What are delayed symptoms after a car accident? ›
Many people experience pain after a car accident, and delayed symptoms are common. For instance, you may notice soreness in your neck or shoulders, start to have abdominal pain, or get headaches hours or days after the accident.
How long can trauma from a car accident last? ›
A traumatic car crash can have devastating mental, psychological, and emotional effects on a victim, leading to conditions that can persist for weeks, months, or even years.
What happens to your body after a bad car accident? ›
Studies show the intense impact a car crash has on the human body even at 15 or 20 miles an hour. It can bruise tissue, cause microtears in muscles and ligaments, and even cause blood vessels in the brain to tear.
It's common to feel muscle aches and fatigue in the hours after a car accident. The stress of an accident alone can deplete your energy and make you feel sore all over. However, never chalk up aches and pains to stress alone. Always visit a doctor to confirm you have not been injured.
How long does it take nerves to heal after car accident? ›
If your nerve is bruised or traumatized but is not cut, it should recover over 6-12 weeks. A nerve that is cut will grow at 1mm per day, after about a 4 week period of 'rest' following your injury. Some people notice continued improvement over many months.
How long does it take for emotional trauma to go away? ›
Emotional trauma can last from a few days to a few months.
Persistent symptoms that interfere with sleep, work, or relationships require the attention of a qualified psychiatrist.
How do you get over an emotional car accident? ›
How To Mentally Recover from a Car Accident?
- Handling the Initial Shock.
- Professional Therapist and/or Psychiatrist Help.
- Self-Care Practices.
- Coping Strategies: Managing Anxiety and Stress.
- Mindfulness and Meditation.
- The Role of Social Support.
- Grieving and Acceptance.
- Building Resilience.
The symptoms can last for many months or up to a year or more after the accident. Make sure that you give yourself time to heal from your physical and emotional injuries after a car accident. Do not rush your recovery. If you are concerned about symptoms of emotional distress, talk with your doctor immediately.
