By Contributing Author
There is very little argument that cars are one of the greatest conveniences of the modern age. However, with all things good, must come some bad. In 2012 alone, there were over 5.6 million car accidents reported in the US. Of them, over 30,000 ended in fatalities and 1.6 million involved injuries of one kind or another. The estimated costs of vehicular accidents in injuries and property damages are estimated to be over $277 billion every year. That equals nearly $900 per person across the nation.
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There are all sorts of injuries that can be sustained in a car accident. When the car hits something and stops suddenly, the passengers don’t stop, which can lead to some pretty severe injuries especially at high speeds. While every crash and resulting injuries is different, there are some common injuries that comprise the majority of accident injuries.
Neck and chest injuries
One common form of car accident injuries is “whiplash.” It is a neck injury where a car colliding with something or coming to a sudden stop causes the head to be moved and then be snapped back quickly. Whiplash can range from mild to severe, but it is an injury that occurs in the neck muscle and ligaments. Neck pain, limited motion, and swelling are very common, but in extreme cases, there might also be vocal cord paralysis or more significant symptoms.
Those who suffer from chest injuries usually hit the dashboard or some other area of the car with force. This can lead to things such as a collapsed lung or broken ribs. There are also times when people can hit places in the car hard enough that they can go into traumatic cardiac arrest or suffer heart conditions well after the accident. Chest injuries can also result in internal bleeding and damage to internal organs, the abdomen, and the pelvis, all of which require immediate medical attention.
Head and back injuries
Head and back injuries are common in auto accidents. Both passengers and drivers who hit other objects at high speeds will bang their heads on the steering wheel or dashboard. In a side collision, the car’s occupants can even hit the window. The result can sometimes be traumatic brain injuries that have lifelong consequences.
Traumatic brain injuries can be anything ranging from a minor concussion, to severe and debilitating damage that can leave someone in a vegetative state or with severe disabilities. If the force is significant enough, head injuries can also include hearing loss, vision problems, or skull fractures.
Back injuries usually occur as damage to the spinal cord, which can lead to nerve damage. Patients who suffer from back injuries might have tingling or numbness in specific parts of the body, or even lose the function and control of legs, arms or other body parts. Severe spinal damage can lead to complete paralysis.
One of the most common back injuries is a herniated disk. This happens when a disk becomes dislodged from the spinal column and results in muscle weakness, leg pain, and suffering for years afterward — if not forever.
Other injuries
When you are in an accident, it is not uncommon to suffer broken bones, including the legs, arms, and hands. There are also times when the muscles themselves can be injured or damaged, like a torn ACL in your knee or other ligaments. If the accident is severe enough, it can also lead to severed limbs. For those who ride motorcycles, the potential of broken arms and loss-of-limb injuries is much higher.
Common injuries sustained in a car accident don’t always surface immediately, which it is why it is imperative to seek medical attention even if you think it is nothing. If the symptoms take longer to surface and you haven’t been examined, then getting compensation for your personal injuries can be much more difficult. If you are in a car accident and are hurt in any way, it is imperative for you to seek medical attention immediately and document everything. Once you are okay, it is critical that you contact a Houston lawyer for car accident to ensure that you are taking the right steps in case other injuries surface later on.
