Types of Injuries to Watch for After an Auto Accident

The injuries resulting from auto accidents may range from minor cuts and bruises to catastrophic, life-altering injuries, even death. In fact, according to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes kill more than 100 people each day. Additionally, Americans spend more than one million days in the hospital each year due to crash injuries.

Injuries can be especially tricky because their seriousness may not be readily apparent. Here are some common injuries to watch for as the result of an auto accident.

• Whiplash/neck injuries—Whiplash is one of those injuries that are sometimes hidden. Caused by the head being violently whipped forward and back, whiplash can cause soft tissue damage you may not notice at first, but complications from the injury can linger for weeks or much longer. It could require expensive medical treatment and physical therapy.
• Bruises—While most bruises are minor injuries that heal quickly, that’s not always the case. If the bruise refuses to heal or gets worse, if you experience swelling, numbness, or weakness, particularly in the torso or midsection region, it could indicate internal bleeding. Seek immediate medical attention should these symptoms occur.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)—A TBI is an injury that causes the brain not to work properly. When a person’s head is bumped, struck, even penetrated, a TBI can occur. The most common TBIs may be concussions, which can range from relatively mild to serious, long-lasting, debilitating impairment. TBIs can also lead to long-term, even lifelong issues, including depression, reduced memory and cognitive function, personality changes, and more. The result of the most severe TBIs may be the need for a lifetime of medical attention, or in some cases death.
• Facial injuries—From burns to lacerations, facial bone fractures to eye injuries, dental damage to severe bruising, facial injuries from auto accidents can lead to sometimes-permanent scarring and disfigurement.
• Back and spinal cord injuries—Car crashes can twist and compress the back and spinal cord beyond what it’s capable of resisting, resulting in a lifetime of disabling back pain, or partial, even total paralysis. And back injuries don’t always show up immediately, but may develop days after the accident.
• Broken bones—The human body can bend only so far before it breaks. Broken bones are a common occurrence in auto accidents, and they particularly impact the limbs—arms and legs, fingers and toes.
• Severed limbs—Speaking of limbs, according to the National Limb Loss Information Center, an astounding one in every 200 people in the U.S. live with limb loss. The considerable forces generated by a high-impact car crash are capable of completely severing limbs, or causing injuries so severe that limbs cannot be saved and must be amputated.
• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)—Of all the “hidden” injuries caused by auto accidents, PTSD may be the most insidious. The mental and emotional shock of a car crash can leave behind the scars of PTSD. This can affect every aspect of a person’s life, leading to depression, nightmares, and more. The services of a psychologist may be necessary to help process the overwhelming trauma of the accident.

If you or a family member are involved in an auto accident due to another’s negligence…

…seek all necessary medical attention, then seek a lawyer with the expertise and resources to properly represent you.

When it comes to an auto accident incident, contact the attorneys at LaSalvia Law. We will fight to win you the compensation you deserve.