What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
Common car accident injuries include concussion, traumatic brain injury, broken bones, whiplash, lacerations, burns, and more. Spinal cord injury, skull fracture, and internal organ damage are also commonly associated with serious vehicle-on-vehicle impacts and can require surgery, long hospitalizations, and extensive physical rehabilitation therapies that can all prove to be a major financial burden on victims.
If you suffered a serious car accident injury due to the other driver’s negligence, you can benefit from seeking legal representation to protect your rights and help you with your ICBC claim. Preszler Injury Lawyers is a trusted personal injury law firm that is ready and able to leverage our many decades of experience to help you pursue the maximum compensation for your injuries.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Perhaps the most common of all car accident injuries, soft tissue injuries involve damage to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Whiplash, so-called because the head and neck move violently back and forth like the cracking of a whip after a collision, is one of the most frequent injuries relating to soft tissues in motor vehicle crashes.
While most people will recover from soft tissue injuries within a few weeks or months, for some people, the effects last much longer. They deal with significant pain and the inability to pursue normal activities.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Car accidents are among the major causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The head’s impact on the steering wheel, window, or dashboard causes the brain to move back and forth quickly within the skull. Concussions are minor TBIs, but can still have serious consequences for victims. Moderate to severe TBIs can cause permanent impairment, and may require months of rehabilitation and various therapies. In many cases, a victim of a serious TBI can no longer work or live independently.
While not a TBI per se, other head injuries occurring in car accidents include skull fractures and facial disfigurement. Some head injuries may require plastic surgery.
Back Injuries
Many back and spinal injuries result from car accidents. These may include:
- Herniated discs
- Spinal fracture
- Spinal cord damage
- Spinal stenosis – trauma accelerates spinal cord narrowing
- Spondylolisthesis – nerve compression from the impact
The effects of back injuries range from paralysis to chronic pain and long-term mobility issues. Many victims of back injuries from car accidents must endure multiple surgeries and long recoveries, and perhaps rely on wheelchairs or other special equipment. Many people never regain full mobility and cannot participate in activities they once enjoyed.
Limb Injuries
Broken arms and legs, including multiple fractures, often occur in serious car wrecks. Even if the limb is not broken, sprains and lacerations may result. In a worst-case scenario, amputation may prove necessary.
Internal Injuries
These are among the most serious car crash injuries, and many can cause death if not treated promptly. Some of the most common internal injuries resulting from car accidents include:
- Broken ribs
- Punctured lung
- Internal bleeding
- Internal organ damage
- Ruptured spleen
PTSD
Many car accident victims suffer PTSD after a traumatic motor vehicle crash, and such psychological issues can prove just as incapacitating in the long-term as many physical injuries. Some victims may suffer panic attacks or even find themselves unable to drive again. Their lives are turned upside down, even if they do not have obvious physical issues.
Why You Must Seek Immediate Medical Attention
After a car accident, it is imperative to seek medical attention at once. What may initially seem like a minor injury could turn very serious, very fast. Adrenalin coursing through the body after a collision can mask pain. Some injuries, such as whiplash, may not become apparent immediately, and without prompt medical attention, the ICBC may allege the injury did not result from the accident.
Rely on an experienced ICBC law firm to represent your injury claim. If the ICBC will not agree to a fair settlement, Preszler Injury Lawyers is not afraid to take the case to trial.
Contact a Vancouver Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a family member were injured in an auto accident because of another driver’s negligence, speak with a car accident lawyer at Preszler Injury Law. We offer complimentary consultations, so call us today or contact us online to schedule an appointment so that we may evaluate your claim. For more than 60 years, we have helped car accident victims receive the compensation they deserve. We proudly serve all of British Columbia.
