Types of Injuries in Car Accidents
Car accidents are a leading cause of traumatic injuries in the United States. The National Highway Traffic Administration (NHTSA) reports that an average of around 5.6 million auto collisions occurs across the country every year, with nearly 2 million of those accidents involving injuries.
The damages that injuries cause can be drastic, with the economic cost of auto accidents totaling an estimate of 277 billion dollars every year, about 897 dollars per U.S. citizen. While car accident injuries do vary from case to case, there are some types of injuries that are more common.
Head Injuries
Head injuries can be extremely serious and often are the most severe type of car accident trauma. Seated passengers and drivers who are involved in high-speed crashes are liable to strike their heads against what is around them including windows, steering wheels, or dashboards. These types of impacts can cause injuries to the brain that range from comas and lasting cognitive damages to mild concussions.
Head injuries often require extensive medical treatments and long-term medical attention and can even cause lifelong symptoms. Additionally, brain injuries aren’t always obvious directly after a collision and can go unnoticed for months before symptoms are severe enough for victims to get themselves checked by a medical professional.
Back Injuries
Back injuries are another common type of car accident trauma. Any spinal cord damage is liable to cause serious nerve damage and can have major implications. People with back injuries may experience chronic pain or reduced control and sensations in their hands, feet, arms, legs, and other body parts.
Back injuries can also cause serious spinal cord damages that leave individuals with permanent paralysis. Individuals paralyzed by back injuries usually have to deal with serious life changes including loss of income and long-term physical therapy.
Another common car accident back injury is a herniated spinal disk. These tend to be less severe than head or spinal injuries, but can still leave people with serious problems involving muscle weakness, numb or tingling limbs, and chronic pain.
Chest Injuries
Many serious collision injuries are related to trauma that affects the chest area. The impact of collisions can cause injuries like collapsed lungs and broken ribs. Auto accidents can also cause those with heart health issues to go into cardiac arrest.
Chest trauma can also cause internal bleeding and damage to internal organs. These types of injuries are very serious and should always be immediately treated by a medical professional.
Other Injuries
Injuries affecting the legs, arms, feet, and hands are also common. Particularly, accidents that involve pedestrians frequently leave victims with leg and foot damages that can cause chronic symptoms.
Other common types of injuries include ligament damage, broken bones, and, in serious cases, amputation injuries.
More From Lincoln CA Personal Injury Lawyer, Ed Smith
Lincoln CA Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Lincoln personal injury lawyer. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in an accident, call me at (530) 392-9400 for friendly advice at no cost. I can also be reached at (800) 404-5400 and AutoAccident.com as well.
Since 1982, I’ve assisted residents of Lincoln and nearby cities with obtaining recompense for wrongful death and personal injury claims.
You can find my client feedback on Yelp, Avvo (a website used for ranking lawyers), and Google.
I’m in the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a group of trial attorneys who’ve either settled or won cases that were worth $1 million or more.
See my Past Settlements and Verdicts here.
AutoAccident.com is Northern CA’s best website for finding info and news about personal injury law and car accidents.
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