Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents can lead to a number of injuries, including:

• Bruising/contusions – Even at low speeds, bruising is a common injury after an automobile accident, and rarely requires medical attention. A common source of bruising is your own seat belt, however, this minor injury usually does not outweigh wearing your seat belt, so always be sure to click it.
• Scrapes/cuts – When you are in a car wreck, every loose object in your car becomes a projectile. Air bags can also be a source of cuts, even when they deploy properly. While most scrapes in car accidents are minor and only require basic first aid, there is a chance of more serious injuries. It is important to be mindful of what loose objects are in your car.
• Whiplash – If you are experiencing pain or stiffness in your neck and back from a car accident, whiplash is likely the cause. This is due to strains in your muscles connected to your head and neck, and occurs when your head and body move separately, typically during rapid acceleration/deceleration.
• Neck/back injuries – Similar to whiplash, your body can go through quite a bit of trauma following an accident.
• Concussions – Any head injury may result in a concussion; motor-vehicle collisions are no exception. While most you hear about are mild, concussions can be much more serious and impact your health in a multitude of ways.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) – More serious than your typical concussion, TBIs can have horrible effects that may last a lifetime. These injuries are some of the worst a car accident can lead to as they may completely change how you live your life.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Many believe PTSD is reserved for specific traumas, but car accidents are not an uncommon source of PTSD. PTSD is a broad term that covers any emotions or mental trauma we humans experience when we are in a situation of extreme stress. While rare, symptoms can include the obvious such as being scared to drive again, to less obvious signs like anxiety, sleeping problems, and others.
• Broken bones – When you hear of fractured bones and car accidents, your first thought would probably be the bones in your arms and legs as they tend to fly after the initial impact, but that is not always the case. While it is still best to always wear it, your seat belt can sometimes crack one or many of your ribs during an impact. Broken bones could put you out of work for weeks or months after a car accident, so it is important to know all your legal options for compensation.
• Internal bleeding – When your car suddenly stops in an accident, your organs do not sit still; they can sustain severe damage from the forces involved in high-speed car accidents. These types of injuries should be thoroughly examined and treated immediately after a car accident.

Talk To An Experienced New York Personal Injury Lawyer

Our lawyers, Tim DeMore and Phil Dysert, have over 30 years of combined personal injury experience helping drivers, passengers, and pedestrians in New York just like you. Call DeMore Law Firm, PLLC, in Syracuse at 315-413-7000 or send us an email. We offer free case evaluations.