Motor vehicle crashes are the cause of 99% of non-fatal car accident injuries. As a result, the victims of the collision experience a number of different ailments. Most of the injuries that individuals incur often require minor or major medical treatment.
Since vehicle collisions are so impactful, it’s nearly impossible to walk away from a crash with no injuries at all. If you’re interested in learning more about the most common auto accident injuries, check them out below.
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Whiplash
Whiplash is the most common auto accident injury. It’s a condition that happens when your body is jolted forward suddenly and then pushed back by the impact of the crash.
The trauma resulting from this occurrence causes strain on the muscles of your neck and other surrounding tissues. Whiplash is a painful injury and often takes quite a bit of time to heal.
Head injuries
Another common injury resulting from auto collisions is a head injury. It can happen due to passengers hitting their head on the steering wheel or loose objects within the car hitting their head. This type of injury is serious because it could cause harmful effects like brain damage.
Head injuries must be treated immediately. Even if your head doesn’t feel bad after a car crash, go to the emergency room anyway. Sometimes the injuries are internal.
Even if hitting your head doesn’t result in something as serious as brain trauma, it can still cause severe headaches and difficulty sleeping.
Cuts and Scratches
After a car accident, you may notice cuts or scrapes on your arms, legs, hands, or face. This usually occurs due to loose objects within the car that hit or scratch you upon impact. It could even happen if the windshield is broken and shards of glass enter the car.
These types of injuries are serious because not only are they painful, but if left untreated, the wound could lead to an infection.
Painful Knee Injury
When two cars suddenly collide, it usually causes passengers to jolt forward. Those riding in the front seat, they’ll often hit their kneecaps on the dashboard. Unfortunately, individuals in this situation sometimes need crutches, knee braces, or even surgery to restrengthen their knee and reverse the damage.
Also, depending on the severity of the incident, a patient may experience trouble walking. Difficulty walking could mean using a wheelchair or cane for assistance as well.
Internal Bleeding
It’s not uncommon for auto accident injuries to cause internal bleeding. Just like bleeding can occur on the outside of the body, it can do so on the inside if the trauma is severe enough. Internal bleeding is extremely dangerous— especially if accident victims don’t seek medical attention right after a car crash.
With internal injuries, you may not recognize that there’s an issue until later down the line. The problem with that is, waiting to treat internal trauma could lead to serious consequences. These types of injuries are severe and life-threatening.
Broken Bones
Broken bones are another one of the most common injuries that occur due to car accidents. One of the most sensitive areas prone to injury is the ribs. They are fragile and can break even with moderate impact.
Broken ribs occur when the body is pushed forward, backward, or sideways due to the force of the collision. It takes an extended period of time to recover from broken ribs.
In addition to that, the bones within the arms, legs, shoulders, and hips are also vulnerable to breaking during auto accidents. Depending on the forcefulness of the collision, accidents put an immense amount of pressure on the body.
As a result, bones break and cause severe pain. The good news is, broken bones are easily treated by physicians.
Herniated Disc
Speaking of broken bones, the spine is another vulnerable part of the body. During a car crash, an individual can suffer from a herniated disc. This occurs when one of the vertebrae within the spine ruptures or pops out of place.
It’s a painful injury that must be treated as soon as possible.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Auto accident injuries aren’t always physical. Oftentimes they’re mental and emotional as well. A horrible collision could cause a person distress because they have a fear of driving or constantly recount the incident in their minds.
Not only that, but if a person is hurt physically due to a crash, their physical injuries could affect their mental health. This scenario is also true if the accident victim lost a loved one due to the collision or their loved one was severely hurt.
Because of all of the trauma that comes from car accidents, it’s imperative to seek help. Car collisions are expensive and often result in hefty medical bills and expensive car repair.
If you’ve been hurt in a collision, check out this article about “The Road To Car Accident Recovery“.
Recovering from Auto Accident Injuries
Auto accident injuries can create long-term issues with your health. When you’ve been injured in a car crash, it’s in your best interest to get legal and medical help. An experienced attorney can provide you with the assistance you need to receive compensation for your injuries.
Even if you feel fine right after a collision, some symptoms of injuries don’t develop until later down the line. Therefore, you should prepare yourself in case there’s a change in your body.
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