How Long Should You Be Sore After a Car Accident?
How long should you be sore after an accident? That’s a question you might be asking yourself if you’re the victim of a car accident. You might expect your soreness to heal quickly. If it lingers over time, you might start to wonder if your soreness is normal. Our Denver car accident attorneys want you to have answers. Here’s how long you should be sore after an accident.
How Long Should You Be Sore After an Accident?
You should be sore for about six weeks after an accident. That’s how long it typically takes for soft tissue injuries to subside after a crash. If you’re sore for longer than six weeks, it may be a sign of more serious injuries that you’re currently unaware of.
In addition, certain types of injuries, like broken bones, may result in soreness that extends beyond six weeks because of the nature of the injury. However, for most soft tissue injuries, you should be sore for about six weeks after the accident.
How Long Does Your Body Hurt After a Car Accident?
How long your body hurts after an accident depends on the nature of your injuries. Common car accident injuries, like soft tissue damage may hurt for approximately six weeks. Broken bones take longer to heal. Certain types of injuries, like ligament and tendon damage, may heal more slowly than six weeks.
In addition, catastrophic injuries may not heal without surgery and other types of medical intervention. Your body should hurt for about six weeks after a car accident, and then you may see improvement. However, it depends on your specific injuries.
How Do You Get Rid of Soreness After a Car Accident?
To get rid of soreness after a car accident, there are several things that you can try:
- Rest – More than anything, your body needs to rest. Overextending yourself too much, too soon, may cause additional injuries and lingering soreness.
- Ice – Icing sore areas can be a helpful method for alleviating pain and reducing inflammation. Healthline recommends icing the area for 1-3 days before moving to heat for lingering soreness.[1]
- Heat – Heat can help relieve soreness. Hot compresses or baths may help with your soreness after an accident.
- Water – Drinking a lot of water can help flush toxins from your body. It can give your muscles a vital resource that they need to heal. Increasing your water intake can help relieve soreness.
- Stretching – When done correctly, stretching can help with soreness. It’s essential to make sure that your stretching is done properly as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.
- Diet – Your body needs the right building blocks to heal. Now is the time to talk to your doctor about what nutrition your body needs to relieve soreness.
- Create a medical plan – Relief from soreness should be a part of a larger medical treatment plan. Your doctor can give you a detailed list of things that you can do to relieve soreness after an accident.
What Helps Sore Muscles After an Accident?
Rest, water, stretching, and diet can all help with sore muscles after an accident. Above all, you need to treat the underlying broken bones or ligaments before you can begin to heal your soreness.
To heal sore muscles, the muscles need time and resources to relax and recuperate. That means getting lots of rest, drinking lots of water and eating the right things. Helping sore muscles after an accident should be part of a treatment program that you undertake with medical supervision.
Soreness and Pain and Suffering After an Accident
Soreness is a type of pain. For car accident victims, soreness is compensable as part of your pain and suffering damages. The purpose of pain and suffering compensation is to account for the fact that not all suffering in a car accident is measured by medical bills. Getting medical treatment doesn’t make you as good as new. In fact, you have a long road ahead of you with lots of struggles ahead.
The purpose of pain and suffering is to put a dollar value on the intangible suffering that comes with being in a car accident. One type of pain and suffering is soreness. In many cases, depending on state law, you can claim compensation based on the severity of your suffering after the accident. Your own testimony is critical when it comes to the soreness that you experience. In addition, medical evidence can tell the story about soreness that is associated with the injuries that you have.
Soreness After Car Accident What to Do
When you have soreness after a car accident, it’s essential to seek medical attention. You need to rule out serious injuries that are not going to heal on their own. The first thing to do after a car accident is rest. Then, you can begin to slowly add activities that can help you relieve soreness. It’s important not to take on too much, too soon. Your body needs time to heal after a car accident.
From a legal standpoint, seeking medical attention is important, too. By going to the doctor, you have a professional verify the injuries that you have. If the insurance company or another party questions your soreness on down the road, the medical records that you have can be a vital part of proving your case.
The other thing that you need to do is keep a pain diary. Each day, document your level of soreness and where you are sore. Record what steps you take that day to alleviate your soreness or otherwise take care of yourself. Demonstrate that you’re following your doctor’s care plan to treat your injuries and recover from your soreness.
How Can a Car Accident Attorney Help With Soreness After an Accident?
Soreness is an important part of the puzzle when it comes to compensation after a car accident. It is one of the grounds for compensation. You need to make sure that your soreness is fully accounted for. In addition, you should ensure that you are compensated fairly for all of the damages that you have from being in a car accident.
That’s what your car accident attorney does. They know what you need to do to legally document your car accident damages, including complex issues like muscle soreness. They ensure you take the right steps to receive full compensation and a just resolution of your case.
Contact Our Car Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation Today
The car accident attorneys at Bachus & Schanker, LLC, have the experience and knowledge to help you if you have been injured in a car accident. If you have lingering soreness or pain after a car crash, it’s vital to seek legal representation to assert your rights and get the compensation you deserve. Call or contact us today to schedule a free consultation with a member of our legal team to discuss your options.
Sources
[1] O’Connell, K. (n.d.). What Causes Muscle Pain?. Healthline. Retrieved 7 February 2020 from https://www.healthline.com/health/muscle-aches
