Car Accident Injuries

Getting medical treatment for auto accident injuries can help reduce the risk of long-term damage. But medical care is expensive. If you’ve been hurt in a motor vehicle accident, money from a personal injury lawsuit could pay for your medical expenses. If you were in an automobile accident and have suffered injuries, talk to a car accident attorney for more information.

Injuries After a Car Crash

According to the National Safety Council, car accidents were responsible for 5.4 million injuries in 2021. Crash injuries can range from minor injuries like bruises to severe injuries, including head injuries, spinal cord injuries, internal bleeding, and death.

You should always seek medical attention after a car accident. Some wounds can appear minor at first, but injuries can worsen over time without medical treatment. Brain injuries and internal injuries can take time before the symptoms show up.

Fractures and Broken Bones

Some of the most common car accident injuries involve broken bones. Broken ribs, arms, legs, or pelvis are common non-life-threatening injuries. But some fractures can damage internal organs, causing internal bleeding and other serious damage.

Neck or skull fractures are life-threatening if the break damages critical nerves in the spine or brain tissue inside the skull.

Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries

Head injuries are the most common and often the most serious in traffic collisions. A head injury can result from hitting the dashboard, steering wheel, or other car parts, regardless of the vehicle’s speed.

The most common type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a concussion, which is mild to severe. More serious brain injuries can cause significant brain damage, coma, and death.

Spinal and Back Injuries

Sprains, strains, herniated disks, fractured vertebrae, and spinal cord damage are some of the most common injuries in the back. Herniated discs often cause leg or arm pain, muscle weakness, and numbness or tingling sensations.

Back pain can mean a spinal cord injury, especially if the pain worsens over time. Spinal cord damage can significantly affect the nerves throughout the body, leaving accident victims with reduced control and sensation in the hands, arms, feet, legs, or other body parts. Severe spinal cord damage can lead to paralysis.

Whiplash Injuries

Whiplash is a common car accident neck injury. Whiplash happens when sudden movement stretches the ligaments and muscles in the neck and upper back so far that it causes damage to the soft tissues.

This type of injury often happens in rear-end collisions where the impact sends the bodies of passengers forward before a sudden stop causes the head to whip forward.

Soft Tissue Damage

Sprains, strains, bruising, and other damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments are soft tissue injuries common in certain types of car accidents. These injuries are often painful and long-lasting.

Burns, Bruises, Abrasions, and Lacerations

Burns are common in crashes where vehicles catch fire. Bruises happen in car accidents when the body strikes an object, such as the steering wheel, dashboard, seatbelt, or window, during an accident.

Abrasions are wounds where the top layer of the skin tears or is scraped. “Road rash” is an abrasion caused by friction, often from being dragged on the pavement. An airbag deploying during an auto accident can cause chest injuries, cuts, and scrapes as well.

Psychological Injuries

Not all car accident injuries are physical. A high-speed car accident is a traumatic event. People involved in vehicle crashes can suffer mental and emotional injuries. Psychological injuries can include depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. You may be able to recover compensation for your mental health treatment and emotional distress through a personal injury lawsuit too.

Fatal Traffic Accidents

According to the NSC, more than 40,000 people were killed in motor vehicle accidents in 2021. Some of the primary factors in car collision fatalities include speeding, driving under the influence, and failing to wear a seatbelt.

Family members who lose a loved one in a car accident will never be able to replace the loss. But a wrongful death lawsuit is a way to hold the negligent driver accountable for their actions. A wrongful death lawsuit can help the family recover financial compensation for loss of support and other damages caused by the accident.

How Can a Car Accident Lawyer Help?

If you have suffered injuries in a car accident, you can recover damages caused by negligent drivers. A personal injury lawyer can help you make your case for the money you need for your medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. If you were in a vehicle accident, talk to a personal injury lawyer about your legal rights.