If you’ve been involved in an auto accident, don’t ignore the minor aches and pains. You may think you’re not seriously injured and that its too much trouble to go to the doctor to check out such a minor issue. The fact of the matter is many types of back and neck injuries can take weeks and even months to surface and that minor ache often turns in to something much more serious. Here are a few examples of serious back and neck injuries that may take weeks to materialize .

• Herniated and bulging discs. The 23 discs in your vertebrae sit between 24 vertebrae. Trauma can cause one or more of these to bulge or be herniated and it can take some time to be noticeable depending on the severity of impact.

• Dislocation fractures. This is one of the most common injuries suffered in a car accident. When one or more vertebrae fracture, the soft tissues move into the damaged area over time.

• Soft tissue bruising and tearing. During a car accident, a number of muscles, tissue ligaments, and tendons can suddenly break or stretch. This type of back injury can cause excruciating pain, affecting thousands of nerve endings.

• Axial bursts. If you were in an accident that caused a big impact, multiple vertebrae in your lumbar and cervical regions might have been damaged.

• Compression fractures. A trauma can compress the front part of your spine and vertebrae which results in back soreness and sometimes something more serious.

Those are just some of the common back and neck injuries suffered in a vehicle accident. It’s important to see a doctor immediately after an accident, especially if you have some back pain or have suffered other injuries:

• A doctor can begin to treat your injuries immediately, if he sees you. Don’t avoid treatment. Any conditions or injuries will worsen.

• If you are the victim of someone else’s negligence, you need to prove the car accident caused your injuries. You should especially consider this if you have pre-existing conditions.

• If you are considering legal action, an experienced attorney will be better able to focus on helping you get your life back, if you have been to the doctor.

• If you wait a long time after the accident before seeing a doctor, you may greatly lessen the amount of damages you can recover from the driver who was at fault.

Once you’ve seen your doctor, a competent, skilled attorney can help you understand your rights under Massachusetts law and obtain the compensation you deserve for your medical and out of pocket expenses. The statute of limitations law gives three years to file a suit after an accident and showing your medical history is an important step in making an accident injury claim with any insurance company.

If you’ve been injured in auto accident call us to discuss your case and damages.Auto Accidents Back Injuries.