A Forbes report states that the year 2020 saw a whopping 5,250,837 car accidents. These are not small numbers. With a car accident number this high, it’s time to take stringent measures to reduce this car accident epidemic.
But what do you do if you’re involved in one?
The answer is simple. Seek reputable lawyers, like Dolman Law Group Accident Injury Lawyers, PA, to get all the assistance you need. Right from drafting demand letters to negotiating with the insurance company, these lawyers will ensure you end up with fair compensation for your losses.
Calculating damages is one area where a lawyer is beneficial. They’ll help prepare an estimate that reflects the seriousness of your injuries.
Since car accident injuries can be minor or severe, it helps to know about the common injuries that victims sustain in car accidents. Knowledge about this will assist in preparing a treatment plan, the expected recovery period, and more.
Here are the seven common injuries that victims may sustain in a car accident:
- Concussion
- Damaged Ribs
- Facial Injuries
- Fractures
- Whiplash
- Sprains and Bruises
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Concussion
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury. It affects the brain and often causes headaches and issues related to concentration, memory, balance, and coordination.
Concussions usually happen after a severe blow to the head. They may also occur when the head or body is shaken furiously.
Damaged Ribs
Injury to the ribs often occurs when the chest area comes into contact with the steering wheel or the dashboard. They are also common in high-impact collisions due to the force applied by the seat belt on the chest.
Ribs can be cracked or completely broken. The latter can have serious consequences, as the sharp pieces can puncture the lungs, blood vessels, or organs nearby.
Facial Injuries
All body parts are prone to injuries in a car accident, and the face happens to be the most vulnerable of them all. Ordinary things that you use on a daily basis will become dangerous during an accident. The impact from the collision often sends things flying inside the car. These things, upon impact on the victim, can cause injuries.
Additionally, broken windshield shards can also injure a car accident victim.
Fractures
Car accidents often generate an impact strong enough to break the victim’s bones. A body part coming into contact with the dashboard, steering wheel, or other parts inside the car can cause the bones to break. Bones in body parts like the arm, wrist, leg, and ankles are prone to breaking in a car accident.
Whiplash
Whiplash is commonly seen in rear-end car accidents. It occurs when the victim’s neck is violently pushed back and forth. This sudden motion injures the
- Spine
- Disks between bones
- Ligaments
- Muscles
- Nerves
- Tissues in the neck
Sprains and Bruises
Both sprains and bruises are classified as soft tissue injuries. Victims suffer sprains when the muscle or tissue that connects the bones is injured. As such, victims often suffer from sprains in the knee or elbow.
Bruises, on the other hand, are skin discolorations that occur due to damaged or leaking blood vessels. The leaking blood collects under the skin, changing the color in that specific spot. The colors are usually:
- Black
- Blue
- Purple
- Brown
- Yellow
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
The other conditions mentioned in this list are physical. The last one is psychological.
The impact of the car accident might result in shock, which may reappear from time to time in the form of flashbacks. In addition to flashbacks, victims may also suffer from nightmares and anxiety.
PTSD often forces the victim to avoid activities, places, or people who remind them of the traumatic event, interrupting their ability to lead healthy, normal lives.
Conclusion
You just read about the seven common injuries that victims of car accidents might sustain. Awareness of these injuries will help in understanding their impact on the victim and the seriousness of the car accident.
If you ever find yourself in a car accident, remember to reach out for medical support immediately. Once you have received medical assistance, don’t forget to contact an experienced car accident lawyer to find out how you can seek compensation for your losses.
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