How long does it take to recover from a car accident?

Depending on your accident’s intensity, it is likely that some accident injuries may take longer to heal than others. In some cases, you may feel okay after an accident, but then start to have long term after-effects of the accident, such as undetected internal bleeding.

As part of the mental healing, it is essential to talk to a Bronx car accident lawyer, who will guide you on the legal path to take for compensation. Suing for damages can be done for minor injuries that take a short time to heal, like facial injuries, to severe long-term conditions. Below we will look into the expected recovery time-frames for the various accident-caused injuries:

Head and brain injury

Head and brain injuries occur when a passenger or driver hits their head on the car’s windshield, steering wheel, front seat, or loose objects. It mostly comes in the form of a concussion, as the brain moves inside the head. These symptoms are not always evident and can come up later on.

For light concussions, most patients start to feel better in 2 to 3 weeks. Complicated concussions, however, take longer and depend on the severity of the crash.

Head injuries can lead to visible facial injuries, such as cuts from flying objects. Recovery from facial injuries also depends on the severity. Minor scrapes take a few days to a week to heal, while surgical repairs may take up to three months.

Neck injuries

Most neck injuries, such as whiplash, result from the impact of the rear or side to side movement. This movement can lead to your neck-snapping, and they can either be mild injuries or dislocation of the vertebrae joints.

Recovery from neck injuries depends on the type of injury. For serious injuries such as dislocation or fracture, recovery may require months to a year to recover fully. Mild injuries should be gone in a few days, and may only require painkillers.

Back and spinal injuries

These are the most traumatic results of any accident. Spine injuries occur when the discs along the spine lining are twisted or moved. In worse situations, the bones in the spine get fractured, which leads to loss of feeling and functionality in other limbs.

Recovery from minor back injuries should take you a few weeks and are treatable with soft workouts. For serious injuries, it takes from 6 months to a year, especially if surgery is involved. Lifelong conditions may result if your physical functionality doesn’t return within a year.

Injuries to lower limbs

Most lower extremity injuries occur when the legs hit either the front seats or the dashboard. Common lower limb injuries are knee and foot sprains or bone fractures, with minor injuries requiring over the counter painkillers and massage therapy. Severe fractures may, however, require surgery and extended physical therapy.

Recovery from lower limb injuries depends on the severity, with minor injuries such as knocks requiring a few physiotherapy weeks. The recovery may last from 6 to 8 weeks for fractures, depending on the breakage’s extent.

When discussing recovery from accidents, people often forget about the psychological aspect of the resulting trauma. Bronx car accident lawyer Minc will advise you on your rights in getting compensated for any psychological problems resulting from the crash.

Alicia Baker
Alicia is a Canadian writer whose enthusiasm for cultural and automotive are combined in her writing. Her background includes links to insurance, finance, and automotive safety.