Car accident injuries can leave victims with physical injuries and emotional damage that lasts for years or even a lifetime. When these injuries occur, getting medical care as soon as possible can be crucial to saving lives, preventing long-term health problems, and diagnosing underlying health conditions. At Robinson & Casey, our lawyers understand how profoundly devastating car accident injuries can be. Our goal is to protect and support car accident victims by providing them with personal and compassionate legal guidance as we help navigate them through the process of obtaining compensation for their personal injuries.
No two car accidents are ever the same, and the injuries that these accidents cause are always unique. With that said, there are often similarities between accidents, and commonalities in the resultinging injuries. Below is a description of some of the most common car accident injuries we see.
Common Car Accident Injuries
BACK AND SPINAL CORD INJURIES
Car accidents can result in back strains or sprains, disc slips, and spinal fractures. Back and spinal cord injuries caused by car crashes are associated with a sudden blow to the spinal cord or the surrounding tissue.
Back and spinal injury symptoms will vary according to where the injury occurred (on the spinal column/neck) and how severe that injury was. Some of the more common symptoms of these types of car accident injuries include but are not limited to:
- Back pain
- Weakness and/or tingling in the legs
- Limited mobility and/or range of motion in the spine
- Loss of bladder and/or bowel control.
Auto accidents tend to cause back and/or spinal cord injuries when:
- Rollover accidents occur.
- Vehicle occupants are thrown from vehicles.
- High-speed collisions occur.
- A car or truck collides with a pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle.
Potential long-term impacts include chronic and/or severe back pain, irreversible loss of mobility, permanent loss of bladder and/or bowel control, and circulation and/or respiration problems.
HEAD AND/OR BRAIN INJURIES
Car accidents are the number three cause of traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the U.S. The types of head and brain injuries caused by car accidents can range from being minor to severe.
The point and force of the impact (from the car accident) can affect how serious the resulting head and brain injuries are. Typically, the symptoms associated with these types of vehicle accident injuries include:
- Cognitive symptoms, such as memory and concentration problems, difficulty speaking, perception impairments, etc.
- Behavioral symptoms, like mood swings, anxiety, increased irritability, etc.
- Physical symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, vomiting, balancing and coordination problems, headaches, etc.
Head or brain injuries are most likely to be suffered in car accidents when:
- Rollovers, head-on collisions, and other serious crashes occur.
- Occupants are thrown from vehicles during the wreck.
- Cars crash with larger, heavier vehicles, like commercial trucks.
- A car or truck collides with a pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle.
As far as common car accident injuries are concerned, these are the ones that riders should be most concerned about as they do not always manifest at the time of the accident. These types of injuries may cause permanent impacts to people’s ability to perceive, speak, and/or coordinate movements. Additionally, individuals may be unable to live independently, possibly for the rest of their lives.
BONE FRACTURES
Broken arms, broken legs, and other types of bone fractures are another common type of auto accident injury.
Bone fracture symptoms, which can vary according to where the fracture is, tend to include:
- Severe pain and bruising
- Limited mobility
- Swelling and/or tenderness in the affected area
Bone fractures are more likely to result from car accidents when:
- Side- and/or front-impact collisions occur.
- High-speed crashes take place.
- Occupants are thrown from vehicles as a result of the crash.
- A car or truck collides with a pedestrian, bicycle, or motorcycle.
Potential long-term impacts include permanent mobility limitations, chronic pain, and nerve and/or tissue damage.
WHIPLASH
Whiplash occurs when the head is quickly jerked forward and then backwards. This forceful, rapid back-and-forth movement is often compared to cracking a whip. In general, whiplash can damage the ligaments, tendons, facet joints, discs, and/or muscles in the neck.
Whiplash symptoms usually set in within twenty-four (24) hours of a car accident. Whiplash symptoms generally include:
- Neck pain and/or stiffness
- Intensifying neck pain with movement
- Limited range of motion in the neck
- Headaches
- Dizziness and/or fatigue.
Whiplash is more likely to be sustained in a traffic collision when:
- Rear-end collisions occur.
- Crashes involve vehicles traveling at higher speeds.
- Vehicle occupants’ heads are further away from head rests when the crash happens (leaving more room for the head to be snapped backwards).
Potential long-term impacts of whiplash include chronic/persisting, waxing and waning neck pain, pain that radiates through the shoulders and/or arms, and/or severe headaches.
PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURIES AND IMPACTS
The psychological impacts associated with car accidents can be severe. Typically, the psychological impact and trauma associated with car accidents lingers for many years. Psychological and physical injuries can be intertwined, and severe physical pain may lead to psychological problems.
Common Car Accident Injuries: Get Help from Robinson & Casey
If you or a loved one have been seriously or injured in a motor vehicle accident, getting legal help as soon as possible might make a difference in the outcome of your accident claim. The experienced team of personal injury attorneys at Robinson & Casey has helped thousands of accident victims and might be able to handle communications with your insurance company so you can concentrate on your recovery. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation so that you can learn more about your rights at 561-375-5204.
