Significant injuries can occur due to motor vehicle accidents. Any part of the body can be affected. Some of the types of injuries that can be sustained following a car accident are listed below from Donald Singleton – a motor vehicle accident attorney.
Types of common injuries
Lacerations, road rash, bruises, scars
Debris from a crash can injure those involved. Broken window glass, sheet metal, or the body’s jolt hitting the car or car seat contributes to cuts and bruises. If you were dragged or thrown onto the pavement, abrasions commonly known as road rash could lead to serious injury. Scars may come from these injuries, and they may disfigure your appearance. This disfigurement could require surgery or may leave a permanent scar.
If your vehicle caught fire from a crash, you might suffer from serious burns. Severe burns can come from hot fluids, steam, chemicals, or the surface of your burning vehicle. Some burns may require surgery, such as skin grafts to heal completely.
Soft Tissue Injury / Crush Injury
A common injury that results from a car accident is soft tissue trauma. Damage to muscles, ligaments, or tendons can create sprains, strains, or bruising to the body. These injuries are long-lasting and can cause extreme pain. The result of a car accident can cause your body to become “crushed” between two objects. When the body is pushed like this, it can suffer lacerations, organ injury, or soft tissue injury.
Fractures and Broken Bones
Simple breaks, severe breaks, and compound fractures may occur due to a car accident. A simple break may require a cast/brace, but a severe break or fracture could lead to surgery and a long-lasting recovery process. Car accident victims often suffer from broken legs, ribs, arms, ankles, wrists, and occasionally a broken pelvis.
Wrist and Hand Injuries
Broken wrists regularly affect those in car accidents. If the break is severe, surgery may be necessary. Casting and braces may be needed to recover from this injury.
Foot and Ankle Injuries
Strains to your ankle, toes, or feet may occur after an injury. Sprains and fractures can come from these injuries and may need medical attention.
If your knees smash into your vehicle during your accident, there is a possibility they will be injured. The cartilage of your knee (your meniscus) can tear or turn. This injury can cause a fracture and could lead to needing surgery.
Amputation / Limb Loss
Car accident victims can suffer amputations, such as an arm, finger, leg, or toe, during a collision. Amputation causes permanent disablement for a victim. It is also possible that a severe injury to a limb from a motor vehicle accident leads to a need for amputation.
Neck Injuries / Whiplash
If your neck hurts after a car accident, you may be experiencing whiplash. Whiplash can occur throughout the body, and if your muscles, ligaments, or tendons were jerked (even at very low speeds), you might be affected by whiplash. Whether your seatbelt was on or off, whiplash can occur and could lead to severe disk injury as well as a cervical dislocation.
During a crash, shoulders can become injured due to absorbing force from bracing your hands on the steering wheel/dashboard. Excessive force from an accident’s impact can cause the shoulder to lock in position.
These injuries commonly occur for car accident victims. The forces generated during a car wreck can leave a heavy impact on the back. You may feel immediate or delayed pain/suffering from this impact.
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Long-term spinal cord injuries can occur from a car accident. Severe damage to the spinal cord can result in paralyzes such as quadriplegia, tetraplegia, or paraplegia.
TBI – Traumatic Brain Injuries
TBIs commonly occur due to car accidents. The brain becomes damaged from a blow to the head. TBIs contribute to 50,000 deaths annually and create long-term disability for 80,000-90,000 people each year.
A person may experience damage to their Internal organs from being hit by a car or debris or jolted forward/backward during a crash. Emergency medical treatment is required if internal bleeding occurs.
PTSD – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
A car accident can cause more than a physical ailment. Mental and emotional injury can come from an accident. Daily driving may become anxiety-inducing and could lead to decreased mental health. Treatment may be necessary to help with emotional suffering from a car accident.
Georgia Car Accident Statistics
In 2018 alone, there were 472490 crashes. 98,267 of these resulted in injury. Not only are Georgians injured from car accidents, but these accidents can also be fatal. 1,671 lives were lost due to car accidents in Georgia in 2018.
Stay Safe on Georgia’s highways
Georgia has many interstates occupied by commuters and can become congested with traffic causing them to be dangerous. I-285, I-75, I-85 all account for car accident fatalities in Georgia.
What to do if you were injured in a car accident?
If you have suffered any serious injuries due to an accident caused by another driver, you must consult with an experienced car accident attorney. At Singleton Law Firm LLC, we have 30+ years of experience dealing with car accident claims. We can evaluate the facts and evidence in your case, work with investigators, establish negligent behavior (and the injuries resulting from it), as well as work with medical experts.