Common Injuries Suffered During a Car Accident

 Posted on January 25, 2024 in Car Accidents

Any car accident, minor or major, can result in injuries. Some injuries are not noticeable right away and may make their presence known hours to days later. Some of the same injuries suffered from a car accident may be present in other motor vehicle accidents such as trucks and motorcycles. In each situation, the accident can happen fast and culminate in severe consequences, so it is important to be able to reach out to your insurance company as well as an experienced personal injury lawyer for help following the incident.

Soft Tissue

Accidents can damage the body’s muscles, ligaments, and tendons. A contusion, sprain, or strain fits into this category of injury, and whiplash may also fall into this category. A contusion is a bruise that can happen very easily in even a minor “fender-bender.” A sprain is a partial tear to a ligament and often occurs in the knee, ankle, or wrist. A strain may result from the force of impact or having a muscle or tendon stretched improperly.

Broken Bones

A high-impact accident could result in broken bones. Arms, wrists, and legs are common in terms of broken bones suffered in vehicle accidents. However, it is still very possible to suffer breaks in other more severe areas, such as the ribs, neck, or spine.

Head Trauma

Concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) will typically result from your head hitting the steering wheel, window, or dash of the vehicle. A concussion can be the result of a direct impact on the skull or when your head is thrown front-to-back or side-to-side from the force of the collision. Symptoms may be immediate or take several hours after the accident occurs. The effect of a TBI can have long-lasting consequences well into the future. Issues that can occur are:

• Chronic headaches
• Speech problems
• Sleeping problems
• Mood swings
• Loss of cognitive ability

Neck and Back Trauma

A more severe crash could see many vertebrae shifted out of place or ruptured leading to a herniated disc injury. A herniated disc could lead to nerve-related injuries that a person may have to suffer for the rest of their life. Spinal cord injuries are another more severe injury that can occur in a car accident. Someone with a spinal cord injury may suffer mental anguish as well as physical, and require rehabilitation, sometimes for the remainder of their life.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Psychological injuries are just as real as physical ones. PTSD could have someone reliving the crash on a daily basis. These kinds of injuries will often require many therapy sessions to recover from the trauma.

Contact a Lake County, IL Personal Injury Attorney

When in a car accident where you have suffered injury caused by the negligence of others, you have the right to pursue a legal claim against them. This means you will want an experienced Waukegan, IL car accident lawyer, such as one from Salvi & Maher, LLP, to represent you in court. A skilled attorney can help investigate to uncover the necessary evidence required to prove your case. For a free consultation to discuss your case, contact our firm at 847-662-3303 right away.