In most car accident scenarios, no one gets hurt. The drivers and passengers had their seatbelts on, the airbags successfully deployed and — although they are a little rattled — everyone involved walks away from the crash unharmed.
However, many crashes are so serious that people get hurt or killed. The injuries — whether fatal or not — usually involve the same issues.
Common injuries lawyers see in car accident cases
Let’s take a look at the four most common injuries that car accidents cause:
- Head injuries: The head is vulnerable to striking different things inside a crashing vehicle. The head might smash against a window or hit the steering wheel, roof, seat, another person, anything inside the car. These blows can result in traumatic brain injuries. Even if the head doesn’t strike something in a crashing vehicle, the jerking gravitational forces of a crashing car result in traumatic brain injuries, too. Other head injuries include skull fractures, facial injuries, sinus bone fractures, vision problems, and hearing loss.
- Back injuries: The back is delicate in car accident scenarios. Damage to the spine can result in spinal cord injuries that cause nerve damage. Car accident victims may experience nerve damage to their feet, legs, hands, arms, and other parts of their bodies after a spinal cord injury. Other conditions related to the spine could be herniated disks, paralysis, muscle weakness, chronic leg or arm pain, and more.
- Neck injuries: As the most flexible part of the spine, the neck is particularly vulnerable in a car accident as the head whips around due to gravitational forces. Many people experience ligament and muscle damage in the form of whiplash. In addition, they may have swelling in the neck, generalized pain in the neck, and vocal cord paralysis. If the spinal cord in the neck suffers serious damage, whole-body paralysis could result.
- Chest injuries: A chest area is a dangerous place for injuries as a strong blow to the chest could result in cardiac arrest, collapsed lungs, and broken ribs. Car accident victims who suffer from heart difficulties are particularly vulnerable to chest injuries. Internal bleeding and organ damage may also result from chest injuries, so these kinds of issues — when particularly serious — may require swift action by medically trained personnel.
Did you get hurt in a car crash?
If you got hurt in a car crash, you may have suffered auto crash injuries like those described above. Or, you may have suffered an entirely different injury. Regardless of the nature and severity of your car accident injuries, you may want to learn more about your legal rights and options to receive financial compensation. Contact Ball, Kirk & Holm today to get started.