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What Kind of Injuries Are Most Common in Car Accidents?

December 7, 2022
Advice, Automotive
Editorial

A car accident can cause severe injuries to any part of the body, leaving victims with physical damage that may last for years or even a lifetime. When injuries occur, seeking medical care as soon as possible can be vital to preventing more health issues. It may even be essential to saving victims’ lives. For more information, please find  and read the information at the URL here.

Top 5 Most Common Types of Car Accident Injuries

In the United States, people spend almost 1 million days in the hospital for common car accident injuries yearly, resulting in $18 billion in lifetime medical bills and $33 billion in lost work. The five most common types of car accident injuries include:

#1 Whiplash

Whiplash occurs when your head is quickly moved forward and backward, snapping your neck like a whip would be cracked. Symptoms typically occur within 24 hours of a car accident and include vicious headaches, neck pain, stiffness, dizziness, fatigue, limited range of motion in the neck, or intense neck pain with movement. Generally, whiplash can damage tendons, ligaments, discs, facet joints — particularly the inherently unstable c1 c2 facet joint –and muscles in the neck.

#2 Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

Such injuries include disc slips and spinal fractures to back strains or sprains. Back and spinal injury symptoms may vary based on where the injury occurred (on the neck and spinal column) and how severe it was. Some of the most common symptoms include but are not limited to:

  • Weakness and tingling in the legs
  • Back pain
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control
  • Limited mobility or range of motion in the spine

Car accidents may cause back or spinal cord injuries when rollover accidents and a high-speed collision occur or when car occupants are thrown from vehicles.

#3 Head or Brain Injuries

Auto accidents are the number three cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the United States and occur when the brain is damaged by a blow or a piercing injury to the head. Every year, 50,000 people die from traumatic brain injury, and another 80,000 to 90,000 suffer long-term disability. Finding a traumatic brain injury lawyer is of the utmost importance in brain injury cases. Trained professionals with knowledge and experience in traumatic brain injury law can be critical components to filing and winning brain injury claims, or at least toward ensuring that potential claimants understand their rights and receive maximal recoveries. Such lawyers will ensure that legal strategies are tailored carefully to maximize the compensation one might receive by settlement or at trial, should it come to that. Such injuries can range from minor to severe and are typically associated with the following symptoms:

  • Behavioral symptoms, such as anxiety, mood swings, increased irritability
  • Cognitive symptoms, like perception impairments, memory and concentration issues, difficulty speaking
  • Physical symptoms, such as vomiting, nausea, fatigue, headaches, balancing and coordination problems

Some potential long-term can impact victims’ inability to live independently and their ability to speak, perceive, and coordinate movements.

#4 Bone Fractures

Broken legs, arms, and other types of bone fractures are another common type of motor vehicle accident injury. Such injuries are associated with limited mobility, severe pain and bruising, and swelling and tenderness in the affected area. Some potential long-term impacts include nerve and tissue damage, chronic pain, and permanent mobility limitations.

Bone fractures are most likely to result from car accidents when high-speed crashes occur, side or front-impact collisions occur, occupants are thrown from cars, or when a car or truck collides with a motorcycle, bicycle, or pedestrian.

#5 Psychological Injuries

Not all car accident injuries are physical, as you could suffer from mental and emotional injuries. Generally, mental damage caused by car accidents can be more severe if you are left with permanent physical injuries, which might affect your career, quality of life, and ability to live independently. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is too common in car accidents. Other common psychological injuries include anxiety, depression, adjustment disorders, and specific phobias.