Can You Have Undetected Internal Injuries After a Car Crash?

 Posted on May 28, 2025 in Car Accident

Not every injury after a car crash is visible. You might walk away from the accident, exchange insurance information, and go home believing you were lucky. But hours or even days later, pain may begin to creep in. Worse, your body may suddenly begin to shut down, sending you to the emergency room to seek urgent care.

This is the danger of internal injuries. They are often without obvious symptoms at first. Left untreated, however, they can become life-threatening. Our Illinois personal injury attorneys can offer guidance if you were hurt in a car accident and found out later that you suffered serious internal injuries.

How Do Internal Injuries Happen in Car Accidents?

Even a moderate car crash can jolt the body with tremendous force. When a vehicle stops suddenly, your body does not. This leads to blunt-force trauma, meaning internal tissues or organs are damaged without a visible wound.

Seat belts save lives, but they can also bruise or damage organs during a high-speed collision. Airbags, while essential, can strike the chest or abdomen. And when the body is thrown into a dashboard or steering wheel, internal bleeding, organ rupture, or bone fractures can occur.

What Are the Warning Signs of Internal Injuries?

Some symptoms of internal injuries are immediate. Others take time to appear. Always seek medical attention after a crash, even if you feel fine, and watch for the following signs:

• Severe abdominal pain or swelling
• Deep purple bruises, especially on the torso
• Dizziness, fainting, or confusion
• Shortness of breath
• Blood in urine or stool
• Vomiting or coughing up blood
• Rapid heart rate or low blood pressure
• Numbness or weakness in limbs

Any one of these may point to internal bleeding, a punctured organ, a collapsed lung, or spinal cord damage. These are not injuries that resolve on their own.

Why Prompt Diagnosis Matters for Car Accident Injuries 

Internal injuries can worsen quickly. For example, a slow internal bleed might not cause symptoms for hours. Once blood loss becomes significant, however, it can lead to shock, coma, or death. A ruptured spleen can be fatal without surgery. A traumatic brain injury might be mistaken for a headache, but then impair speech or mobility days later.

This is why emergency rooms use CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds to detect trauma beneath the surface. If you delay treatment, you may lose access to these diagnostic tools — and to legal recourse if you later try to file a personal injury claim.

What Should I Do if I Find Out I Was Injured After an Accident? 

A personal injury attorney does not just file paperwork. The right attorney will help ensure your injuries are fully documented, connect you with the specialists you need, and build a case that reflects the seriousness of what you have suffered. If someone else's negligence caused your crash — whether through drunk driving, distracted driving, or reckless speeding — you deserve full compensation for both visible and invisible harm.

Internal injuries often require surgery, long-term monitoring, and physical therapy. Some lead to permanent impairment. Others may not be discovered until complications set in. A personal injury claim can help cover these long-term costs and hold the at-fault party accountable.

Contact a Schaumburg, IL Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you have been in a car crash and are experiencing pain or strange symptoms, do not wait. An Arlington Heights, IL personal injury attorney at Newland & Newland, LLP can help you seek compensation for internal injuries that were not immediately apparent. Call 847-797-8000 today for a free consultation.