Auto accidents are a leading cause of injuries in the United States. Crash injuries vary depending on the situation and people involved. Common car accident injuries include:
This article is a general overview of frequently documented vehicle accident injuries. Always seek medical attention after a car crash, as many of these injuries, which may seem minor at first, can be hard to spot on the surface.
Head injuries are both some of the most common and serious injuries in traffic collisions. You can suffer a head injury from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel or windows. You can even suffer from head and neck whiplash no matter the speed. These can leave you with:
Additionally, closed head injuries can cause damage to the fluid and tissue in the skull. The severity of such traumatic brain injuries can range from a mild concussion, which is the most common, to severe brain damage, coma, and even death.
Long-term medical care and extensive treatment are often necessary, which could lead to substantial financial hardship.
Fractured vertebrae, herniated disks, sprains, strains, and spinal cord damage are common lower-back injuries. A herniated disc can cause a lot of problems, including tingling sensations or numbness, pain in the legs or arms, and muscle weakness. Spinal cord damage is more severe and can significantly affect the nerves, reducing control of and sensation in the arms, feet, hands, legs, or other parts of the body. Sometimes, spinal cord damage results in paralysis.
Whiplash injury is possibly the most well-known neck injury from a car accident. Whiplash is the result of sudden movement stretching the ligaments and muscles in the neck and upper back so far that the soft tissues sustain damage.
Rear-end collisions most frequently cause whiplash because the impact sends the bodies of the passengers forward while their heads remain stationary.
Pain, swelling, and even temporary vocal cord paralysis are reasonably common neck injuries as well.
Chest injuries can be less common after a crash and typically include bruises and wounds. However, more severe chest injuries include:
All vehicle occupants could experience these injuries because the force that the collision puts on their bodies smashes them against their seat belts. Drivers can also suffer these injuries if they collide with the steering wheel.
Bruises, cuts, and scrapes can occur to the arms, hands, feet, and legs when they collide with other objects in the car.
These injuries can range from mild to serious, causing blood loss and requiring stitches. The occupants’ limbs can also be thrown against the door beside them or into the dashboard or seat in front of them, resulting in bruises, broken bones, cuts or sprains.
The injuries people suffer after car accidents aren’t always visible. Those who have emotional distress generally experience anxiety and stress reactions in certain situations, especially when they’re in a car.
While these reactions go away for most people, they don’t go away for those who develop post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is a psychiatric condition that makes individuals relive their traumas in flashbacks and nightmares.
People living with PTSD may feel estranged from family and have trouble sleeping, both of which can hinder their daily lives. Counseling is a standard treatment for PTSD and other mental injuries after a traffic collision.
Legal help is available for those injured in car accidents due to the negligent, malicious, or reckless actions of others. Those who want to seek compensation for physical or mental injuries should consider talking to a car accident lawyer.
Since the laws for personal injury compensation differ from state to state, an experienced accident lawyer could provide personalized answers to questions. Talk to them about your specific situation, and they can lead you through the legal process.
Injuries cost money, including time away from work, medical bills, and other complications. Before taking legal action or trying to negotiate a settlement on your own, you should talk to an attorney about your case. You can search LawInfo’s legal directory to find a local auto accident attorney to discuss the merits of your case. This one step can level the playing field, help you protect your rights, and put you in the best position for recovering the compensation that you deserve.