Getting into a car accident can be one of the worst things that can happen to you on the road, especially if injuries are involved. If you’ve recently been involved in a car crash, it is important to understand the potential injuries that you or your passengers may have faced. Some of these injuries manifest themselves later on and may not be readily apparent at the time of the crash due to adrenaline and shock.
Seeking medical attention after a car accident is important to any injury no matter the severity. There are four different types of injuries that can be caused by a car accident: Soft tissue injuries, Head Injuries, Mental and Emotional Injuries, and Internal Injuries.
Soft tissue Injuries
Soft tissue is everything from the neck down that is not a bone. According to Sterling Medical Group, this type of injury can often be overlooked by passengers involved in an accident. A soft tissue injury can appear as a sprain, strain, or cut and if left untreated could potentially cause more health problems later on. Types of common soft tissue injuries are neck/back injuries, whiplash, and bruising.
Whiplash and neck injuries are not to be confused with each other. While whiplash is pain in the neck area, a neck injury is a painful strain in the neck area that can take weeks to recover.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are one of the most concerning types of injuries that can be sustained in a crash. Some head injuries may cause lifelong impacts on a person’s cognitive functions. These types of injuries may also not be immediately obvious at the time of the crash, and symptoms may manifest themselves later on.
These types of injuries can easily hold a person back from their professional or educational pursuits. Beginning rehabilitation as soon as an injury is identified is critically important in order to mitigate the potential lifelong effects.
Concussions:
A concussion according to Viles and Beckman, LLC, is a type of injury that arises from a severe head injury. This injury leaves the victim with a cognitive malfunction for a short period of time. A concussion can be identified by the following common symptoms:
Dizziness
Loss of Balance
Sleepiness
Slurred Speech
Confusion
Loss of Coordination
Nausea
Loss of Consciousness
A concussion may not feel serious but requires medical attention as soon as possible to avoid any permanent brain dysfunction. Additionally, failing to follow medical advice for concussion recovery will lead to the symptoms lingering for an unnecessarily long period of time.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic injuries, also known as TBIs, are similar to concussions but have more severe effects. TBIs may also have a lifelong impact on a person’s cognitive functions. According to Mayfield Clinic, a traumatic brain injury is when the brain violently moves around in the skull, causing bruising, bleeding, and tearing of nerve fibers. After the violent blow or force causing the TBI, the brain may swell and create life-threatening conditions for the person. Someone with a TBI can have blurry vision, become unconscious, nausea, memory loss, seizures, and confusion. Additional symptoms may arise depending on the severity of the TBI.
TBIs have three levels of severity: Mild, Moderate, and Severe. Each level of severity includes different degrees of cognitive function, motor response, and consciousness. Severe TBIs may result in the injured person entering a coma. A TBI severity assessment is performed by a medical professional.
Mental and Emotional Injuries
These injuries are the ones that cannot be seen but may affect a person for the rest of their lives. When it comes to calculating damages, mental and emotional injuries are considered “non-economic” damages. This means there is no financial element to the injury caused such as those you would see with loss of income due to injury.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychological injury and can lead to depression, stress, and anxiety. This type of mental injury can occur in any person and stems from the extreme stress caused by severe car accidents.
Additional mental injuries can be caused by having to endure the death of a loved one or a friend, or by watching other people suffer as a result of the crash. This type of anguish can stay with a person forever, and may change how they operate in their daily lives.
Internal Injuries
Depending on the type of internal injury, it may or may not be immediately apparent at the time of the crash. This is why it is important to seek medical attention even if your health may initially seem uncompromised. Only medical professionals will be able to determine if you’re suffering from unseen injuries such as internal bleeding.
Broken bones
Broken bones are one of the many possible injuries that can occur out of a car accident and require immediate medical attention. The pain from a broken bone will make the injury readily apparent to both you and medical professionals. Depending on the location, this type of injury may affect your ability to work and care for your family for an extended period of time.
Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding occurs when damage is done to your internal organs and tissue. Extensive damage to these parts of your body may cause internal bleeding. These types of injuries are not only extremely dangerous but are life threatening as well. Due to the fact that the bleeding is not immediately visible to the eye, passengers may overlook this injury and think they are fine, only to find themselves in severe pain or risk of death several hours later. Only medical professionals can determine if you are suffering from internal bleeding.
Contact Jordan Law
If you’ve been involved in a car crash and have suffered from an injury, please contact Jordan Law for a consultation. We know the road to recovery may be long, but our team of experienced personal injury attorneys will help guide you through the process. While you spend time recovering, let us handle getting you the compensation you deserve.