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According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, in 2016, there were 34,439 fatal motor vehicle crashes in the United States, which resulted in 37,461 deaths. The major risk factors involved in car crashes include not wearing a seat belt, drunk driving, speeding and distractions. A car accident may not result in death, but serious injuries can occur and have serious implications for those involved. Let’s take a look at four of the most common car accident injuries.
1. Head/Brain Injuries
Head injuries can be relatively minor or severely traumatic. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 14% of all brain injuries in the U.S. are caused by motor-vehicle accidents. High-speed collisions involving seated drivers and passengers can cause their heads to strike against steering wheels, dashboards, or windows. This impact can result in minor head scrapes and bruising, or a traumatic brain injury, such as a concussion, contusion, diffuse axonal, coup-contrecoup and a penetrating injury. These conditions can have a significant impact on the brain, and can cause lasting brain damage and cognitive problems, requiring extensive medical treatment and long-term medical care.
2. Neck Injury
Neck injuries sustained in car accidents typically affect the soft tissues-muscles, tendons, and ligaments-in the neck. Whiplash is a neck injury that typically occurs during a rear-end accident, in which the impact causes the neck to move back-and-forth or side-to-side in a sudden motion akin to the cracking of a whip. Whiplash can also be caused by frontal or side impacts as well, and the injury can differ from person to person, depending on the severity of the accident and individual health. Still, more common neck pain and swelling can occur during a car accident, along with more serious neck injuries, that can result in disc herniation. The car accident lawyers from Derrick Law Firm can help you get compensated for your pain and suffering.
3. Back Injuries
Back injuries are also common in car accidents and can easily damage soft tissues, bones and vertebrae in the back. Spinal cord injury can cause significant nerve damage, as well as a loss of muscle function and sensation, the inability to move the arms or legs, feelings of numbness or tingling, headaches, and in severe cases, permanent paralysis. Chronic pain in the upper, middle or lower back and loss of mobility can greatly affect the quality of life of anyone who suffers from back injury caused by a car accident.
4. Broken Bones and Fractures
A car accident can lead to broken bones of the femur, tibia, ribs, hip, pelvis, arm, back and other body parts when a person’s body is thrown into contact with objects and debris, or results from the crushing impact during a collision. Broken bone injuries, whether mild or severe, requires immediate medical treatment and can impair a victim's mobility and the ability to perform work and everyday activities. Impairment can be lifelong and a victim may require pain medications and physical therapy to cope with the damage caused by the bone injury.
It is impossible to predict when an accident will occur, and while you may be a safe diver, you cannot control the actions of other motorists on the road. When luck runs out and you get hurt in a car accident, ensure that you find the best car accident lawyers to help you obtain compensation.