Injuries from Car Accidents: A Closer Look at the Physical Toll
Being in a car accident is scary, nerve-wracking, and overwhelming. Beyond the apparent damage to vehicles, a car accident can cause significant injuries that affect your life for years. You worry about your condition and other drivers and how to navigate the aftermath and become whole again.
One of the lesser-discussed issues surrounding car accidents is their physical toll on your body. Apart from pain and discomfort, you may experience other lingering effects.
Read on to explore the injuries from a car accident you may suffer in the aftermath of a crash.
Table of Contents
Concussions
A concussion occurs when a person’s head experiences a sudden force. This creates a minor to moderate brain injury that temporarily affects brain function.
Concussion symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, confusion, and memory problems. These symptoms can sometimes last anywhere from several days to over a month.
Whiplash
Whiplash, an injury to the neck and its soft tissues occurs when a person’s vehicle is struck from the rear unexpectedly. This sudden and sudden force causes the neck to jerk backward and forward again. The sudden force stretches the soft tissues beyond their normal range of motion.
Whiplash can cause a range of injuries to the neck, such as muscle strain, disc damage, ligament damage, and nerve root impingement. Typical symptoms of whiplash include pain in the lower neck, headaches, and pain in the shoulders and arms. In severe cases, whiplash can cause blurred vision, irritability, and anxiety.
Neck or Spinal Cord Injuries
With the momentum of a collision, the cervical vertebrae can become fractured, displaced, or even severed. This can cause varying consequences, from long-term medical complications to permanent paralysis.
The surrounding muscles, ligaments, and connective tissues can also endure extreme trauma. This may result in far-reaching consequences and damage that may take years to heal.
Broken Noses, Cheekbones, and Jaws
Facial bones can break during an accident due to direct contact with something. It can also happen through the sheer force of the impact itself.
Injuries to these areas of the face can cause pain, disfigurement, and impaired vision. Victims may also suffer scars, loss of taste and smell, and difficulty breathing.
Depending on the severity of the injury, reconstructive surgery may be necessary. This can take months to recover from, with long-term care and rehabilitation, such as physical therapy, required. In other cases, further medical treatment, such as dental work, could be necessary to regain lost facial structure.
Muscle Lacerations
Muscle lacerations are one of the most severe car accident injuries that a person can suffer after an accident. This occurs when a muscle splits open, often from blunt trauma. So it can cause severe pain, bleeding, and even nerve damage.
Depending on the severity of the laceration, it may require surgery, stitches, or a combination of both. In some cases, recovery may be lengthy, with downtime or physical therapy recommended for the patient until the injury fully heals.
But even with proper medical care, sometimes muscle lacerations cause lifelong pain and loss of function. If nerves are involved, it can also lead to permanent disability.
Broken Wrists and Arms
Broken wrists and arms are some of the most common injuries in a car accident. Injuries to the arms can occur from impact to the front, side, or rear of a vehicle or from contact with objects inside the car.
Broken wrists and arms can cause immense physical pain and suffering. They require lengthy and costly treatments and rehabilitation.
Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) surgery may be necessary depending on the fracture’s severity. Surgery may involve the placement of rods, screws, pins, and plates to correct the fracture. Patients may require physical therapy and a period of rest until the bone heals, which can take weeks or months.
Broken Legs and Ankles
Broken legs and ankles are among the most common high impact car accident injuries. The trauma caused by the force of the collision can cause the bones of the legs and ankles to break. This can lead to mobility problems, inability to bear weight, and severe pain.
Treatment for these injuries can include a cast and crutches. In extreme cases, reconstructive surgery involves pins, plates, and screws placed in the extremities.
To help with the pain, physical therapy, and braces or other medical devices may be prescribed. In some cases, there can be long-term disability associated with broken legs and ankles from car accidents. When this happens to you, this is the time that you should call an auto accident attorney.
Ruptured Spleen
Generally speaking, a ruptured spleen occurs when the spleen becomes damaged or ruptures from blunt trauma. Symptoms of a ruptured spleen can include pain in the upper left abdomen area, dizziness, a feeling of fainting, and internal bleeding.
A ruptured spleen can result in complications such as infection, chronic pain in the abdomen, and even death. Treating a ruptured spleen can include surgery, medication, observation, or more treatments.
Damage to Organs
Direct physical trauma to the body can cause damage to various organ systems, including the heart, lungs, and abdomen. These organs may suffer from hemorrhaging, bruising, lacerations, and perforations. Additionally, indirect causes of injury can include rapid deceleration. This can cause shearing forces of the organs against bones or other internal organs.
Drive Safely to Avoid Common Injuries From a Car Accident
Car accidents often come with physical consequences that can last a lifetime. So you need to understand the potential physical toll so you can take steps to help protect yourself from injuries from a car accident.
You should always prioritize safety when driving and use preventive measures. It could be as simple as wearing seatbelts to never driving drunk. Doing so can help to minimize the risk of injuries and undue suffering.
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Last Updated on June 24, 2023
