There are tens of thousands of car accidents happening each year – and the number may only increase as more drivers populate the road. A large fraction of these accidents result in fatal injuries. Other survivors of vehicle accidents have been left permanently disabled or suffered serious injuries.
It’s quite common for people to suffer from some kind of injury, even minor cuts and bruises, after a collision. Typically, injuries from a crash are located in three areas. Injuries aren’t exclusive to these three areas, but they are common enough that drivers and passengers should know where medical conditions might occur.
Here’s what you should know:
Head injuries
The first place people should expect injuries is on the head. People who are hurt in a crash may suffer from injuries outside the head, such as fractures, or inside the head, internal bleeding, for example. Many serious injuries may be prevented, however, if the airbag deploys and passengers wear their seatbelts.
More commonly, people suffer from concussions from vehicle accidents. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head. Symptoms of a concussion may include dizziness, headaches and sensory impairment.
Neck injuries
If a driver does suffer from head injuries, it’s more likely than not that they are suffering from neck injuries as well. There isn’t much a vehicle can do to protect the neck, and because of this, people get injured when the neck jerks around in a collision.
One frequent injury caused by a vehicle accident is whiplash. This occurs when the neck rapidly moves forward and backward. This puts stress on the neck and shoulders and may cause serious pain.
Spine injuries
Some of the injuries experienced to the head and neck may be outmatched by spine injuries. The spine is an extremely sensitive area and the wrong injury could cause paralysis. Depending on the severity of an injury, passengers could suffer from partial or full paralysis. Paralysis may prevent people from using normal motor functions or even leave someone wheelchair-bound.
Your life shouldn’t have to suffer because of someone else’s mistake. You may need to know your legal options when looking to recover from your medical bills and losses.
