Five Common Car Accident Injuries

All car accidents, including fender benders, have the potential to cause physical injuries that last for months, years, or even a lifetime. When car accident injuries occur, it is crucial that victims receive medical care as soon as possible to prevent more health problems. Receiving prompt medical care can be crucial for saving victims’ lives. Many types of injuries can result from car accidents, from bruises to internal organ damage. However, some types of injuries are more common than others.

Whiplash is one of the most common car accident injuries, but that does not mean it is not a serious condition. Whiplash happens when a person's head is rapidly jerked forward and backward. The force of a car accident, even if it is a fender bender, can cause a person's neck to whip forward and backward, causing damage to the tendons, ligaments, discs, facet joints, and muscles in the neck. The symptoms of whiplash may not be immediately apparent after an accident. They could become more prominent and the hours or days after the accident and usually included the following:

• Limited range of motion in the neck
• Intensifying neck pain with movement
• Neck stiffness or pain
• Headaches
• Fatigue or dizziness

Whiplash is more likely to occur in vehicles traveling at higher speeds, in rear-end collisions, and when an occupant's head is further away from the headrest when the accident occurs. Whiplash can be a chronic condition that results in persisting waxing and waning neck pain, severe headaches, and pain that radiates through the shoulders and arms.

Back and spinal cord injuries are also common car accident injuries. They can include anything from back sprains and strains to spinal cord fractures that result in partial or complete paralysis. Symptoms of back injuries vary according to where the injury happened. An injury in a person's neck could cause whiplash due to two strained tendons and ligaments in the neck. Back injuries can cause pain, weakness, tingling in the legs, headaches, fatigue, and pain. Serious spinal cord injuries can cause limited range of motion or mobility in the spine, total loss of mobility, or loss of bladder and bowel control. Spinal cord injuries can also cause permanent bladder and bowel control loss and circulation or respiration problems.

The force of a car accident can also cause bone fractures, including broken legs, arms, and hands. When the airbag does not deploy properly, a victim can suffer fractures to facial bones, including the jaw and cheekbone. Bone fractures can be painful and expensive to treat, resulting in severe bruising and pain, limited mobility, swelling, and tenderness in the affected area. Depending on the severity of the fracture, a patient may need surgery and suffer from permanent mobility limitations, chronic pain, and nerve and tissue damage.

Car accidents are among the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries in the United States. The injuries caused by car accidents range from minor to severe. The impact's force and the brain injury's point can affect how serious the resulting medical condition will be. Head-on collisions, roll over, and other serious car accidents are more likely to result in serious brain injuries. Additionally, when occupants are thrown from the vehicle or the accident involves commercial vehicles, victims are more likely to suffer a serious head injury. Traumatic brain injuries can permanently impact victims' ability to speak, coordinate, and minimize their cognitive skills. A victim may be able unable to live independently, possibly for the rest of the victim’s life.

Sometimes the medical injuries overshadow the mental health issues that can arise after being involved in a serious car accident. The psychological impacts of car accidents can last for years or even a lifetime. The mental trauma caused by being involved in a car accident tends to be more severe when victims have suffered permanent physical injuries, which can cause chronic pain and negatively affect their quality of life, ability to live independently, and career.

Have you or your loved one been injured in a car accident? The steps you take next will help or hurt your compensation claim. The attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC, have a proven track record of recovering compensation for car accident victims in Charlotte and the surrounding areas. We have the resources, experience, and skills necessary to negotiate the best outcome possible in your case. Contact Arnold & Smith, PLLC, today to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation consultation and learn more about your rights.