No matter how big or small, any car accident can cause serious injuries. Even a minor car accident can cause a brain injury that takes years to heal from. Injuries from car accidents can range from minor to fatal. Many people get hurt in car accidents and cannot go back to work or go about their daily lives.
When drivers are not careful, they hurt other drivers and passengers, who have to deal with hospital bills, rehab costs, and lost wages. Such cases, therefore, call for the intervention of a law firm like Rosenfeld injury lawyers for easy settlement. This post will discuss common injuries that result from car accidents.
Neck injuries and whiplash
A neck and upper back injury like whiplash is a soft tissue injury. A whiplash injury happens when the head and neck move quickly back and forth during a crash, pulling on the muscles and ligaments. Soft tissue injuries can also happen in other body parts, like the back, where the same forces can be felt. Because of the force of the impact against the spine, car accidents often cause mid-back and low-back muscle sprains and sometimes more serious back injuries.
Back Injuries
The human body and spine are not made to take much force, so back injuries are common in car accidents. After an accident, back injuries may not show up right away. A serious back injury can cause much pain and make it hard to move and heal for a long time.
Cuts and Scrapes
Any loose items inside the car become projectiles and are thrown all over the interior during a car accident. This includes cell phones, coffee mugs, eyeglasses, purses, books, and GPS systems attached to the dashboard. If one of these things hits you, it is easy to cut your skin or hurt you in other ways.
Head Injuries
Head injuries can range from being pretty minor to being very bad. When a car suddenly stops or changes direction, the heads of the driver and passengers can move in strange ways. These actions can lead to strained and sprained muscles in the neck and back.
When a person’s head hits a side window or the steering wheel, it can cut or bruise the head. A severe blow to the head can cause a closed head injury, which means the brain tissue and blood vessels are bruised and torn. Most closed head injuries cause concussions, but more serious hits can cause brain damage that lasts a long time.
Chest Injuries
After car accidents, people also often get hurt in the chest. There are many different chest injuries, from painful bruises to broken ribs and internal damage. When drivers crash into the steering wheel, they often get chest injuries. The seatbelt and dashboard can also hurt your chest.
Injuries to the Arms and Legs
When someone suffers a car accident, the same forces that move their heads unexpectedly also move their arms and legs. If your car gets hit from the side, your arms and legs could get thrown against the door. When there is an accident, people’s knees often hit the dashboard or the seat. Depending on the accident, your arms and legs could get bruised, cut, sprained, or even broken.
Remember that not all injuries will appear right after a car accident. Depending on the type of injury, symptoms may not show up for days, weeks, or even months. So, if you detect any car accident injury after some time, you should go to the hospital right away if you feel any pain or discomfort. A professional Rosenfeld injury lawyer can also play a significant role in following up on your case and administering proper treatment.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Not all car road accident injuries are physical. If you are in a car accident, you could get hurt mentally and emotionally. You might have PTSD, in which case things that used to be easy for you might become hard or even impossible for you. After a car accident, you may be able to get money for mental health care and emotional pain.
Many of the most common reasons for car accidents can be stopped. When people use their smart devices while driving, they put themselves and everyone else on the road in danger. In the same way, drivers who speed, tailgate, and drive recklessly put everyone in danger.
One of the worst things a driver can do is get behind the wheel when they are tired or drunk. Many attornies have helped people whose lives were ruined by drunk or sleepy drivers who were not paying attention.