What Are The Most Common Injuries in A Car Accident?

More than 16,000 car accidents occur every day in the United States. Car accidents can cause serious long-term physical and emotional damages, and recovering from a car accident injury can be both time-consuming and incredibly costly.

The following are five of the most common injuries in car accidents:

Whiplash and Neck Injuries

Some of the most common injuries in a car accident are Whiplash and neck injuries in rear-end collisions, which make up almost 30% of all car accidents. Whiplash occurs when a great deal of sudden force causes a person’s head to quickly jerk forward and backward. People who suffer from whiplash often experience immediate neck pain and stiffness that can last well over a year, and 10% of those who suffer whiplash become permanently disabled. Fortunately, most people who suffer whiplash recover within a few months or even weeks.

Victims of whiplash may also experience long-term effects, including dizziness, jaw pain, blurry vision, trouble sleeping, memory issues, neck and shoulder pain and stiffness, headaches, and difficulty concentrating.

Head and Brain Injuries

Experiencing head trauma during a car accident can permanently disable you and can often be fatal. The area of your head that experiences trauma as well as the amount of force that struck your head determine the severity of your brain injury. Suffering brain injuries can reduce your mobility, cognitive functions, and can affect your emotional and behavioral control.

Immediate symptoms of a head injury include dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue, drowsiness, problems speaking, momentary loss of consciousness, and vomiting. If your injury is more serious, you may experience loss of consciousness for several minutes or hours, persistent headaches, repeated nausea and vomiting, dilation of one or both eyes, loss of coordination, slurred speech, and unusual behavior.

People under the age of 25 can also experience serious brain issues later in life even if they only suffer a mild head injury during a car accident.

Back Injuries

Experiencing physical trauma to your back and twisting of your body can lead to serious back injuries. Back injuries can become apparent in many ways, including lower back pain and muscle spasms. You may also experience stiffness, numbness, and tingling in your arm, legs, hands, and feet.

Lower back pain can become a chronic condition after experiencing a car accident. Acute lower back pain may resolve on its own within a year, but it may require medical treatment or surgery.

Soft tissue injuries are also common during car accidents. This may come in the form of sprains, strains, and tears that affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the back.

Spinal Injuries

Spinal injuries are also one of the most common injuries in car accidents. The sudden force of a car accident can result in your spine becoming compressed, leading to ruptures and hernias that can cause serious long-term pain. People who experience spinal compression often experience pain, tingling, and numbness radiating down the back of their legs. This condition is known as sciatica.

A spinal cord injury is incredibly dangerous and can be fatal. Experiencing sudden physical trauma or twisting during a car accident can result in spinal cord bruising, lacerations, and damage. This can result in permanent nerve damage, paralysis, or death. If you experience a car accident and you believe your spine is damaged, do your best to avoid moving and instead call an ambulance to transport you to the hospital.

Emotional Trauma

Experiencing a car accident can result in more than physical damage — it can also lead to serious emotional damage. Emotional damage can be as serious as a physical injury, and those who have experienced a car accident often suffer from both physical and emotional damage. Some car accident victims can even develop post-traumatic stress disorder.

Contact Legal Experts Today

If you or a loved one has suffered physical or emotional damages from a car accident, contact legal advisors as soon as possible. Dealing with emotional and physical damages can be incredibly difficult and expensive. Fortunately, Crossen Law Firm has worked over 20 years to help victims of car accidents receive compensation. If you need a personal injury lawyer in Indianapolis, contact us today by clicking here or call us at (317)-401-8626. We offer free consultations, and we’re here to help you receive the compensation you deserve.