Did you know that nearly 38,000 people are killed each year in car accidents on US roads? An additional 4.4 million are badly hurt from car accident injuries and need to seek medical attention.
Car crashes cause car accident injuries that are as unique and diverse as the crashes themselves. Your placement in the car and how you crash can affect how your body is affected by the crash’s force.
Always visit your doctor after a car accident. No matter how small the car accident, keep a lookout for any symptoms over the next few weeks, as these may not be immediately apparent.
Some of the most common injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents are:
Head Concussion
What is a concussion? A concussion is a trauma to the brain triggered by a head blow or a forceful shaking of the head.
For obvious reasons, one of the most common car crash injuries is concussions. They are also the most underestimated injuries as sometimes trauma symptoms may not appear for days, even months after a car accident. Even low-speed car accidents can cause a concussion.
Importantly, you need to understand that children and adults can display signs in different ways. Many indications of a concussion may be instantly apparent. However, some concussion injuries may not occur for days or weeks after a car accident.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the most common signs and symptoms of concussion caused by a car accident are:
- Headache
- Feeling of pressure in the head.
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Delayed or slow response to questions
- Tiredness and grogginess
- Nausea
- Slurred Speech
- Feeling dazed
- Loss of consciousness
When a person gets proper medical treatment when they have a concussion, there are usually no lengthy effects. However, with no treatment at all, it can be as severe as brain damage.
Spinal Injuries
The 2019 statistics by the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center show that there are about 17,730 new spinal cord injuries each year in the US.
A car crash that tends to cause spine injury problems may result in partial or total paralysis. The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body’s central nervous system, which controls bodily functions. Therefore, if there is a break anywhere on the spine, this can cause loss of body movement, feeling, and physical function control can result from spinal cord injuries.
If you get injured in a car accident, seek legal advice from an injury lawyer.
Back Injuries
The back absorbs an unbelievable amount of force from an impact in a car accident. These are commonplace injuries in car accidents. If you’ve been in a car accident, get professional medical treatment of back pain and symptoms, no matter how small. If you leave back pain untreated, it can lead to long term suffering.
Common injuries and their symptoms in these type of injuries include:
- Pain
- Pain that radiates down towards the bottom of the legs
- Stiffness in the back
- Tingling in the arms and legs
- Numbness in the arms and legs
- Difficulty standing or walking for lengthy periods.
- Painful muscles and spasms
If you or someone you know has suffered a back injury caused by another’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Seek car accident legal help.
Whiplash To the Neck
Whiplash aptly named that as it resembles the movement a whip makes when swung. It is a neck injury resulting from a forceful impact that gives a back and forth motion to the neck. Whiplash is a typical result of rear-end car accidents.
Signs of whiplash injuries, which show within a day or two maybe one or all of the following symptoms:
- Neck stiffness and pain
- Pain gets worse with movement.
- Loss of rotation in the neck
- Headaches
- Pain in the shoulder, upper back, and arms
- Numbness in the arms
- Tiredness
- The feeling of being groggy
Visit your doctor if you have any of the above symptoms. It would be best if you had the injury treated as soon as possible after the accident.
Most people get better within a few weeks of the accident. However, others will have continued pain and discomfort for several months and even years. If this is the case, you may want to consult an injury lawyer as you may be due compensation.
Broken Bones
Car accidents are the cause of a high number of fractured bones. These are the most common causes of breakages as a result of car accidents.
- Being pushed forward or backward with force, in the car
- Being ejected out of the car
- Compressed in the collision
- Flying objects hitting your body
- Hitting hard surfaces in the vehicle with force
- Your limbs are bending and twisting abnormally and snapping
Fractures that are common in car accidents include legs, arms, wrists, shoulder, hips, skull, and of course, ribs. Neck and spine breaks are also a common injury from collisions.
Emotional Injuries
Medical professionals can immediately treat physical injuries. But, emotional wounds such as post-traumatic stress after a car accident are difficult to diagnose and treat. It’s normal to feel emotional and traumatized after a car accident.
After a car accident, you will often feel shocked and experience an emotional coaster ride. It can be a hard road to recovery.
Here are some emotional effects that are usual, after the adrenalin stops pumping:
- anxiety
- stress
- fear
- reliving the accident
If you’re struggling with your emotions after a car crash, you need to get professional help.
Speedy Recovery After Car Accident Injuries
It’s not only your vehicle that gets damaged in a car accident, but your body can take a bashing too!
Car accident injuries range from minor injuries to very serious, and of course, some even fatal. But, irrespective of the severity of your injury, no matter how small, many car accident victims find themselves incapable of returning to their daily routines and sometimes even return to work.
More than half of car accidents are a result of negligent driving. These negligent drivers have caused injured drivers and their passengers to cope with sometimes hefty medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, and earnings loss.
When you or someone you know gets injured in a car accident and is due compensation, you will need sound legal advice. So, don’t hesitate to contact us in the Tampa, Florida, area for a free consultation. Let us deal with your car accident legalities so that you can focus on your recovery!