Car accidents are one of the leading causes of unintentional injuries. If you've been in a car accident, you might be entitled to compensation through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. This compensation can help cover your current medical bills and address future health concerns resulting from the injuries. However, you could miss out on a fair settlement if you don’t know what to look for.
Learn about the most common car accident injuries in Illinois and around the country.
Whiplash, as well as other neck sprains and strains, are the most common car accident injuries. Technical terms for this type of injury include “cervical acceleration-deceleration” and “whiplash-associated disorder.”
The sudden jolt of a rapidly moving vehicle being struck and coming to an abrupt stop will jerk your body back and forth. Often, your head and neck move in a whip-cracking motion that causes soft tissue injuries. This is one type of harm that a seatbelt can’t protect you from, which is why it’s so common.
Most whiplash symptoms are minor and involve soreness, stiffness, headaches and a limited range of motion. You may be able to manage the discomfort with over-the-counter pain medicine and gentle exercises.
Unfortunately, subtle whiplash symptoms could be signs of much deeper injuries. In some cases, whiplash could precede a catastrophic brain or spine injury that leads to lasting damage. Even if the initial injury seems minor, severe cases can require strong painkillers and extensive rehabilitation to help you recover.
In addition to neck injuries, there are several other types of injuries that commonly occur after motor vehicle collisions.
Your back often absorbs much of the impact in a car accident, especially in rear-end collisions. You may feel lingering tightness in your back, which can affect your mobility and overall strength.
More concerning than general back pain is an injury to your spine or spinal cord. Your spine provides vital communication between the brain and the rest of your nervous system.
Spine and related nerve damage can create odd sensations or result in partial or total paralysis. For example, you could suffer a loss of bladder and bowel control, sexual dysfunction, shortness of breath, muscle spasms and pressure ulcers from a spinal cord injury.
The shoulders are also highly susceptible to car crash injuries. Many of us take our shoulders for granted until the force of a collision damages the cartilage in the inner shoulder joint and reduces mobility. A common name for this injury is a SLAP tear.
A crash could also tear or otherwise damage one of your rotator cuffs. You may need surgery to restore mobility and strength, but sometimes these injuries never fully heal.
Head injuries are particularly serious. Research shows that brain trauma can have long-lasting effects, including memory issues, confusion and balance problems.
Even mild concussions can interfere with normal brain function, leading to disabling injuries, severe emotional issues or personality changes. Unfortunately, airbags cannot fully prevent the risk of traumatic brain injuries.
Internal injuries can be hard to detect initially. Damage to organs such as the lungs, heart, kidneys, liver, spleen or bowels may not show symptoms right away.
Organ injuries can range from light bruises to deep punctures that compromise multiple systems of the body. Internal bleeding can also occur, causing abdominal pain, difficulty breathing, blood pressure changes and continence problems. These complications can result in infections and potentially fatal cases of sepsis.
Burns can result from friction during the collision or from fires, explosions and exposure to chemicals.
Burns are classified by how deep they penetrate the skin:
Third-degree burns can be life-threatening and usually require skin grafts. There are also fourth-, fifth- and sixth-degree burns that destroy body parts and are almost impossible to survive.
Broken bones are another common injury in car accidents. However, subtle breaks and hairline fractures can go unnoticed initially. It’s important to catch these injuries early because improperly healed bones can lead to deformity and chronic pain.
Severe fractures may require surgery, immobilization or even physical therapy to properly heal. While minor fractures can heal within two months or less, more significant breaks may take several months or more than a year to mend. This long recovery time can seriously affect your daily life, including your ability to work, do activities and manage pain.
In severe accidents, a limb may be completely severed or so badly damaged that it cannot be saved. Crush injuries and severe burns may also require surgical amputation. These injuries often result in lifelong challenges, including mobility limitations, chronic pain and the need for ongoing physical therapy. Prosthetics can help restore some function, but adapting to life after an amputation can be physically and emotionally demanding.
Emotional and mental trauma can also have a significant impact on your life after an accident. Some accident survivors must cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. For instance, you might not be able to visit specific locations near the accident scene or ride in certain types of vehicles. Some people develop phobias that prevent them from traveling altogether.
If physical injuries rob you of your career or favorite hobbies, you may face a loss of self-respect or enjoyment of life. Behavioral changes can also affect your relationships.
Disfigurement or scarring can cause deep insecurity and anxiety. Therapy or medication may be able to help you reduce these emotional injuries, but there are no guarantees of a cure.
Any of these injuries may qualify for compensation in an insurance claim or personal injury lawsuit. A qualified car accident lawyer can help you determine the value of your claim and create a strategy to seek justice for your losses.
At The Collins Law Firm, we offer free evaluations of car accident cases. Please reach out to us if you or a loved one has recently been injured in a motor vehicle accident.
Even if a physician says your health is fine, you may benefit from a second opinion. We can help you find reliable medical professionals to assess your symptoms and identify possible long-term issues.
Car accident cases can take several months to over a year to resolve. This is important to understand because you only have two years to file your claim. Successful plaintiffs typically begin preparing their cases soon after the accident to collect as much evidence as possible within the state’s time limit.
If a negligent driver hit you and caused injuries, contact The Collins Law Firm today. We may be able to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Photo by Samuel Foster on Unsplash
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