From an evolutionary standpoint, human beings needed a fight-or-flight response to keep them alive. If they were badly injured in an accident, such as a fall, or in a fight with a predator, it helped if the body could mask that pain and allow them to keep fighting or fleeing from danger. This is why adrenaline can make it harder to tell that you’ve been injured and may cause you to believe that you are fine.
While it is true that adrenaline cannot mask or cover your pain entirely, it can help you focus on something else. It allows your body to function as if the pain doesn’t exist. You don’t feel it the same way, and you’re able to function through that pain in a way that won’t be possible once your adrenaline drops again.
Why this matters for car accident victims
You may be wondering what an evolutionary development like this has to do with car accidents in 2021, from which you do not need to flee and against which you cannot fight. Clearly, adrenaline is no longer needed in the same way that it was in the past.
And that is precisely the problem. Many people get into accidents, have an adrenaline rush, and then believe they are not injured. They turn down medical care at the scene. They neglect to go to the hospital. Then, as the adrenaline wears off, they realize they are actually in significant pain and have been inadvertently ignoring their own injuries.
This is why medical care is so important after an accident. Remember, you can seek compensation for medical bills from the driver who caused the wreck and your injuries. Learning more about your legal options can help you decide what to do next.
