Once a vehicle is involved in an accident, the driver and passengers can sustain several injuries. Even restraint devices like airbags and seat belts installed in a car for safety can hurt the occupants. Furthermore, the collision impact can fling cargo in such a way it slams into passengers and hurts them.
Car accident injuries can vary from minor cuts and bruises to catastrophic injuries that stay with a person for life. No matter what type of injuries you incur, there are always medical bills to consider, and even perhaps rehabilitation therapy and assistive devices. In some cases, injuries could lead to loss of income, which is why you should get in touch with legal assistance from a personal injury attorney Michigan firm, for example.
Injuries sustained in a car accident vary from minor to life-altering. The most common injuries are listed below.
Neck Injuries
Technically, whiplash is the traumatic injury caused to spinal discs, ligaments, and muscles in your neck. Whiplash is a common injury in accidents that involve sudden jerking caused by a rear-end collision. Victims are likely to have problems sleeping, suffer chronic pain, and have trouble concentrating or remembering things.
Spinal Injuries
Back injuries can lead to the paralysis of legs or arms – paraplegia – or can affect more areas of the body – quadriplegia or tetraplegia. Less severe spine injuries that affect the spinal cord, discs, and vertebrae can still cause some form of loss of mobility and chronic pain.
Abdominal and Chest Injuries
A car crash impact can cause tearing or rupturing of the kidneys, heart, diaphragm, liver and other critical organs. Injuries to these major organs are usually fatal. Surgery will be required to repair the damage done.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
TBI is the tearing, bruising or any other injury to the brain. In fact, a concussion is a mild TBI that will usually clear in a month or two. On the other hand, severe TBI is chronic and can cause various problems like decline that’s eventually fatal.
Lacerations and Contusions
Such soft tissue abrasions heal quickly and without any problems. However, deep cuts or bruising of muscle and internal organs is serious enough to cause heavy bleeding and even shock. In addition, bruises and cuts around the eyes can cause temporary or permanent vision loss.
Burns
A serious car crash can start a fire or the victim may get in touch with hot elements, leading to second and third-degree burns. Burns can cause deep tissue damage that might take years of painful and expensive treatment before healing. Plus, smoke inhalation can lead to lung damage.
Broken Bones
Also known as fractures, broken bones are a frequent injury when it comes to car accidents. The most affected areas include the hips (pelvis), ribs, collarbones, legs, and arms. As people age, broken bones take longer to heal.
Life After a Car Accident
Injuries caused in a car accident might need urgent medical attention, hospitalization, surgical treatment, psychotherapy, continued therapy as well as assistive care – depending on their severity. In addition, the accident victim might be unable to go back to work, increasing the financial burden towards recovery. At the same time, what seems like a nonfatal injury might lead to the victim’s premature death.
There are also instances where those going through lengthy recovery periods develop depression and other emotional problems. Plus, the primary caregivers, especially if they are close family, can be affected psychologically.
Regardless of the severity of an injury, it’s critical that you seek a medical services provider after a car accident. While some injuries are not obvious, they could worsen over if not immediately addressed.
