Fever From A Texas Car Wreck? Never Ignore a Post-Accident Fever. Act Immediately
Discuss your settlement and potential claim with a free consultation. Contact the Adley Law Firm Today
Car accidents are traumatic events, and the aftermath can be just as alarming, especially when new symptoms appear. If you’ve been in a car accident in Houston or throughout Texas and later develop a fever or flu-like symptoms (such as chills, body aches, or fatigue), treat it as an urgent warning. A post-accident fever isn’t something to brush off; it may signal a serious injury or infection that needs immediate medical attention. The longer you wait, the greater the risk to your health and your legal rights. Don’t tough it out – see a doctor right away, and consider reaching out to the Adley Law Firm for legal guidance. We urge you to prioritize your health and get a professional medical evaluation, then let our Houston car accident attorneys help protect your rights while you focus on recovery.
A fever after a crash is your body’s defense mechanism kicking in, and it’s often a red flag that something is wrong. In the context of an auto accident, a fever isn’t just a coincidental bug or common cold, it can be a symptom of underlying injuries. Left unchecked, the issue causing your fever could worsen and even become life-threatening. That’s why any fever after a car wreck should be taken seriously. Even a low-grade fever should prompt caution, because waiting it out could allow a dangerous condition to progress.
Delayed Symptoms: It’s important to know that not all accident-related injuries show up immediately. You might feel fine at the scene, only to develop a fever, chills, fatigue, or body aches hours or even days later. This delayed onset of “flu-like” symptoms is common – adrenaline and shock can mask pain and problems in the moment – but a fever that appears after the fact is often the first warning sign of a hidden injury. Fever often comes alongside other signals like chills or muscle aches, and together these symptoms can point to serious issues that require prompt care.
What can cause a fever after a car accident?
There are a few major reasons why someone might run a temperature following a collision. Understanding these potential causes underscores why you must not ignore a post-accident fever:
- Internal Injuries or Internal Bleeding: Damage to internal organs or blood vessels can lead to internal bleeding or tissue injury that isn’t obvious from the outside. Your body may respond with inflammation and fever as it attempts to heal. Often, a fever is one of the only early clues that you have internal injuries, since you might not feel pain right away. Injuries to organs like the spleen, liver, or lungs can become life-threatening if untreated, so any hint of internal damage (such as an unexplained fever or abdominal pain) warrants an immediate trip to an emergency room.
- Infection (Including Sepsis): Car accidents can cause cuts, scrapes, or even internal wounds that allow bacteria to enter the body. Infections might develop in surgical incisions or deep bruises days after the crash. When your body detects an infection, it raises its temperature to fight off the invading pathogens. So a fever after an accident could mean you’re developing an infection at an injury site. If that infection spreads into your bloodstream, it can lead to sepsis, a severe systemic infection. Sepsis is a medical emergency – it occurs in roughly 1 out of 10 trauma patients and is associated with significantly higher risk of complications or death. High fever, chills, rapid breathing, and confusion are possible signs of sepsis.
- Inflammatory Response to Trauma: Sometimes, fever isn’t due to an outside germ at all – it’s your body’s inflammatory response to the trauma itself. The impact of a collision can trigger your immune system to go into overdrive trying to repair tissues. According to research from the NIH, the body’s reaction to severe physical trauma can mirror its reaction to infection. Even without bacteria or viruses, your body may release cytokines and other inflammatory chemicals that raise your temperature as part of the healing process. This kind of “sterile” fever (often part of what doctors call systemic inflammatory response syndrome, or SIRS) is a sign that your injuries are serious enough to set off a whole-body immune reaction. Mild inflammation is a normal part of recovery, but excessive inflammation can cause high fever and other complications.
Each of the above situations is cause for concern. A post-accident fever means your body is telling you something important: you could have internal damage, an emerging infection, or widespread inflammation. These are not minor issues you can sleep off. For instance, internal bleeding can lead to organ failure or shock, and untreated infections can advance to sepsis rapidly.
Houston-area hospitals – such as Memorial Hermann and Ben Taub Hospital – frequently treat accident victims with such complications. Doctors may perform imaging tests (like X-rays or CT scans) and bloodwork to detect hidden injuries or inflammation. By identifying the cause of your fever, medical professionals can intervene early – whether that means emergency surgery, antibiotics, or medications to reduce inflammation. Simply put, timely medical care can be lifesaving.
Protecting Your Health and Legal Rights
Getting prompt medical treatment after an accident doesn’t just protect your well-being – it also protects any potential legal claim you may have. If another party’s negligence caused your crash, you have the right to pursue compensation for your injuries. But to succeed, you’ll need solid evidence of the harm you suffered. This is where medical records are crucial.
Seeing a doctor soon after the accident creates documentation that links your fever and any diagnosed condition (like internal trauma or infection) to the collision. These records serve as objective proof of your injuries and their severity. If you wait too long to seek treatment, insurance companies might argue that your fever or infection wasn’t caused by the accident, or that you made your injuries worse by not getting care right away.
When you seek immediate care, you not only get the treatment you need – you also show that you’re taking the issue seriously. Insurance companies are far less likely to dispute a well-documented injury claim, especially when they see that you sought prompt attention and followed all medical advice. By prioritizing your health, you’re also safeguarding your ability to obtain compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages down the line.
Call the Adley Law Firm Today
A fever after a car accident is a symptom you should never ignore. It’s understandable to feel shaken or hope that you’re “just a little sore” after a crash, but if your body starts showing signs like fever, chills, or unusual fatigue, take it as a serious warning. Always err on the side of caution and get medical care immediately. The peace of mind of knowing what’s wrong (and catching a problem early) is well worth it.
If you or a loved one in Houston are experiencing a fever or any concerning symptoms after an auto accident, don’t hesitate to reach out to the Adley Law Firm for a free consultation. Our experienced Houston personal injury attorneys understand the stress and confusion that follow a serious accident, and we’re here to help. We’ll answer your legal questions, deal with insurance adjusters, and fight to secure the compensation you deserve while you focus on healing. Contact us today to protect your health, your case, and your future.
