Drivers and passengers can suffer an array of bodily and emotional injuries ranging from minor aches and pains to life-altering injuries. The most common car accident injuries include:
- Neck and Back Injuries: The rapid deceleration and harsh jerks that happen when two cars collide can damage vertebrae, strain ligaments, or herniate discs. One of the most common injuries sustained is whiplash. Minor whiplash can simply cause neck pain and stiffness, but more severe cases can lead to longer-term effects such as blurred vision, headaches, memory problems, and depression.
- Head and Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and concussions are caused by the head smashing against a part of the vehicle itself during the wreck. The short-term effects of TBIs include nausea and vomiting, numbness, or blurred vision. But TBI can cause long-term damage too such as chronic headaches, depression, behavioral changes, and seizures. TBI symptoms may take hours or days to fully manifest and the treatment is complicated and costly.
- Bone Fractures and Tissue Damage: The sheer force involved in a high-speed collision is enough to fracture bones and tear muscles and ligaments. Serious bone fractures or ligament damages occur more frequently in head-on collisions, sideswipe or “T-bone” crashes, and in high-speed accidents. Multiple or complex fractures, muscle tears, and ligament damage often require surgery and extensive physical therapy, which will be a more significant financial burden on you and your family.
- Psychological and Emotional Injuries: Accident victims, especially children and young adults, commonly suffer a range of psychological and emotional damages. In fact, a recent analysis concluded that over 22% of car crash survivors develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These psychological harms are not visible like cuts, and they may take days or weeks to manifest. And you can be sure the insurance company or at-fault driver will fight tooth and nail to avoid paying for such damages!
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