Right after a crash, adrenaline and stress hormones suppress pain — it is a survival response, not proof you are uninjured. Meanwhile, inflammation from soft tissue damage builds gradually, which is why neck stiffness, back pain, headaches, dizziness, or numbness commonly surface 24 to 72 hours later.

See a doctor as soon as symptoms appear and describe the accident: that visit creates the medical record connecting your injury to the crash, which protects both your recovery and your claim.