Common Types of Injuries Resulting from Auto Accidents

Common Types of Injuries Resulting from Auto Accidents

Most auto accidents are unexpected, and they can often cause painful injuries that even impact you long-term. There are common auto accident injuries that you should be familiar with before sitting behind the wheel of a car. 

After you’ve been injured, it’s going to be crucial for you to work with an attorney that specializes in car accident injuries so that you can build a claim to recover. In some cases, you might be awarded damages to help compensate you for the injuries you experienced and to help you restore your life so that it’s normal again. Below, you’ll find some of the most common auto accident injuries out there and some tips on how you can try to avoid them. 

Scrapes and Cuts

If you get into a car accident, you might end up with some scrapes and cuts. This can be due to the impact of your vehicle or the other vehicle. You might even get hit by loose objects in the car, such as your phone. Regardless of what it is from, the scrapes and cuts can be quite painful and even be at risk for infection or other complications. 

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)

Car accidents commonly cause traumatic brain injuries, and they can occur when an individual’s brain is damaged due to a blow or piercing injury to the head. About 50,000 people die each year because of TBI and between 80,000-90,000 people end up suffering long-term disabilities. 

Burns

In some cases, your vehicle might catch on fire after a car crash. If your skin comes in contact with hot surfaces, fluids, chemicals, or steam, you might suffer burns. If the burns are severe, they’ll likely require surgery or maybe even skin grafting. 

Lacerations, bruises, and “road rash”

It’s common for there to be broken glass or even torn sheet metal after a car accident. There might even be flying objects during an accident. These objects and circumstances can cause lacerations or bruises to your body due to the impact. Road rash is something that might also be common. It’s when abrasion is caused thanks to the friction when you’re skidding or dragged on concrete or pavement. 

Spinal Cord Injuries 

Injuries to the spinal cord can lead to paralysis like quadriplegia, paraplegia, or tetraplegia due to the impact of the crash. The level or degree of the injury depends on how far low in the spinal cord the injury is.

Broken Bones

Other common auto accident injuries include broken bones. From arms to legs, hips, and shoulders, broken bones can be pretty common. An accident can put unnatural amounts of force onto your body. If the force is something more than what you and your bones can withstand, you’ll often end up with a free break. For more fragile bones in your body, like the ribs, they can be easier to break. The ribs can break due to light or moderate impact. 

Whiplash

This is a popular name for muscle, tendon, and ligament injuries in car accidents. Quick and sudden movements can cause you to experience whiplash. You will usually be moving fast and unexpectedly in a car accident, which can strain the muscles and the soft tissues.

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc can happen when you least expect it, especially when you’re involved in a car accident. This kind of injury can cause a lot of pain and complications. 

Disfiguring facial injuries and scars

Broken glass, impact with the steering wheel, harsh weather conditions, and more can cause facial injuries. Some facial injuries can be more in-depth and require additional surgical correction. 

Knee injuries

When your vehicle is involved in an auto accident, you can tear your meniscus and/or the cartilage. Some of these injuries are more painful than other ones. 

Soft tissue injuries

Injuries to the soft tissue points in your body can be damaged due to automobile accidents. Whether you have a strain, sprain, damage to tendons, muscles, and ligaments, 

Wrist and hand injuries

In a car accident, your hand(s) can twist and break due to numerous reasons. Depending on the severity of the break or injury, you might have to get surgery. 

Foot and ankle injuries

Feet, ankles, and toes can be severed in a car crash depending on where the vehicle was hit, the impact, and more. 

Limb loss and amputation

Losing a limb, for whatever reason, can leave you with a permanent disability. There might be some cases where amputation is the right move. This can be a significant moment for the family and individual. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Not all common car accident injuries are physical. Many people tend to suffer from mental and emotional injuries after getting into an auto accident. In some cases, you might get post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD for several reasons. The mental and emotional injuries that came about can be caused by any aspect of the accident, those involved, and more. 

Psychological Pain Like Guilt

Aside from PTSD, you can suffer from different psychological injuries after getting in a car accident. In some cases, you might feel guilty and relive certain possibilities. Some might have their PTSD turn into flashbacks and more. When dealing with guilt like this, it’s best to get the proper help that is needed. 

How Can an Injury Lawyer Help After a Car Accident?

After you’ve been involved in a car accident, it’s best to start looking into ways to not only make a full recovery. Working with a lawyer can help you with your injury claim. 

Find An Auto Accident Attorney In Your Area

Auto Accident FAQ

Your first and foremost action following an accident is to stay calm, check if you or anyone else involved has been injured, and call the police. Get the name and contact information of all parties involved in the accident as well as any witnesses of the event. To document the damage, take pictures of the accident scene, the vehicles, and your injuries. It’s important not to admit liability until you hire an attorney because they will conduct a thorough investigation to establish the driver at fault.
Right after a car accident, you may feel fine, but injuries can surface days, weeks, and even months later. That’s why it’s good to see a doctor even if you don’t believe you were injured in the accident. Your doctor can recognize issues or injuries that won’t immediately become apparent to you and alert you to warning signs of injuries that may arise due to the accident. If you fail to treat your injuries within a certain period of time, you may forfeit your right to get reimbursement for future medical costs. The general rule is not to settle auto accident claims without having been examined by a medical professional.
In most cases, you won’t have to go to court. The majority of auto accident claims are resolved outside of court after negotiating the terms with the insurer. Most insurance companies generally try to settle claims as quickly as possible and for as little money as possible, so it’s wise to have an attorney negotiate on your behalf.
In addition to taking pictures of the accident scene and taking the contact information of the involved parties and witnesses, your detailed explanation of how the accident happened is also necessary to file a claim. Law enforcement reports of the accident will also serve as crucial evidence in your claim.
Many factors determine the driver at fault in an auto accident case. Do not accept any part of the blame until the investigation has concluded. Even if the investigation finds that you are partially at fault, you may still be entitled to receive compensation. There are cases when the victim also shares part of the blame for an accident. If, for example, you were driving five to ten mph over the speed limit when the accident happened, this would have limited your reaction time, and you could likely be considered a negligent driver even if you weren’t the one to cause the crash. Different states have different ways of settling auto accident claims where more than one driver is at fault. So it’s best to check the specific laws in your state (or the state where the accident took place) or discuss the matter with your auto accident injury lawyer.
It happens surprisingly often that people get into an auto accident where the driver at fault doesn’t have insurance. In these situations, it’s wise to have an auto insurance policy that comes with Uninsured Motorist (UM) coverage. That way, if you get into an accident and the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, you will still be able to file your claim under the UM coverage you have with your own insurance company. Your insurer will then process the claim following the same process as it would for an opposing insurer. The only difference is that the claim will be against your UM coverage and not against another driver. Likewise, if you were involved in a hit-and-run accident where the responsible driver fled the scene before you could take their information, you can again seek compensation from your UM coverage.
Suppose you suffered injuries after an auto accident that was caused by another driver’s negligence. In that case, there are two main types of damages that you may seek compensation for: compensatory (a.k.a. monetary) and punitive damages. Compensatory damages are the most common type of damages in a personal injury claim, and they often include: ● Current and future medical bills ● Property damage ● Emotional duress ● Lost wages ● Loss of enjoyment of life ● Loss of future earnings potential On the other hand, punitive damages are much rarer, but they can occur in situations where the vehicle manufacturer is to blame.

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