Ever been chased by a dog only to develop “superhuman speed”
out of nowhere? Have you ever been in a physical altercation (think grade
school or high school), only to “feel no pain” until after
you calmed down? Well, you can thank those incredible human responses
to adrenaline (epinephrine), the powerful hormone released in moments
of crisis.
Adrenaline is responsible for the body’s “fight or flight response,”
which does some pretty amazing things, such as:
- Decreases the sensation of pain,
- Temporarily increases strength,
- Sharpens mental focus,
- Increases the heartrate, and
- Causes a surge in energy.
Adrenaline rushes occur when people feel threatened, but they don’t
always happen in dangerous scenarios. They can happen during other times
of stress, such as when having a job interview or immediately following
a fender bender.
Adrenaline Can Mask Pain from a Crash
Car accidents are exciting events, but not in a good way. Since they tend to be fast,
unexpected, and suspenseful, they tend to cause the body to be flooded
with adrenaline, which masks pain, sometimes for hours or even days.
This can be problematic because right after an accident, you may not think
you’re injured, but you are. You may not realize you’re hurt
for hours or days after the crash. The problem is that people will often
say to the other drivers, “Oh, I’m not hurt. I’m fine”
or to the insurance company, they’ll say, “I’m not hurt.”
But then days later when the adrenaline wears off, they realize that something
is seriously wrong.
Protect Yourself by Seeing a Doctor
If you’re ever in a car accident, our advice is to see a doctor or
chiropractor within
72 hoursof the crash, but the sooner the better. Even if you don’t think
you’re hurt, remember it could be a rush of adrenaline masking the pain.
If you fail to see a healthcare provider in a timely manner and see one
a week or two after the crash, the insurance company will likely argue
that your delay in treatment means that you’re not really hurt.
They can use this as an excuse to reduce or deny your
claim.
To protect your health and your claim, see a doctor or
chiropractor no later than 72 hours after the accident, which is the standard in the
insurance industry. Failing to seek medical attention sends the message
that you’re not really injured, and that can be counterproductive
to the claims process – and you don’t want that!
Related:
What is a Third Party Claim?
Contact our Suffolk County car accident firm today to schedule a case evaluation!