Car accidents pose a significant risk of injury and damage. Whatever the case, you should seek medical care and a thorough evaluation.
That is because, following a serious injury in a car accident, the adrenaline rush blocks all pain perception for several days or weeks. Accident-related injuries can be severe and detrimental to your health if not treated promptly.
This post will discuss some of the most serious injuries in a car accident. Read on to learn about the causes of car accidents and the resulting injuries.
What Is Considered a Serious Injury in a Car Accident?
The definition of a serious injury in a car accident may vary based on the state and the particular laws of the land. But generally, a serious injury leaves a lasting impact on the injured person’s life.
Car accidents and collisions take different forms, meaning that the injuries that could occur from them are also very diverse. Some of the serious injuries that frequently result from auto accidents include:
- Internal bleeding
- Fractures or broken bones
- Loss of limb or amputation
- Traumatic brain injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Permanent scarring or disfigurement
Nearly three million people in the US suffer severe injuries in auto crashes annually, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The severity and type of injuries from car accidents can be assessed based on different factors. For instance:
- Were the people involved in the car accident buckled up?
- What sort of impact or collision was it?
- At what speed did the accident occur (was it a low-speed or high-speed crash)?
- At the time of the incident, were the car occupant’s head and body facing forward or oriented in a particular direction?
- Did the car have airbags, and did they deploy at the time of the accident?
Seek immediate medical attention if you are unsure whether the injuries you sustained are severe. Getting a car accident attorney may also be a good idea.
Impact and Penetrating Car Accident Injuries
In car accidents, there are two broad bodily injury categories- impact injuries and penetrating injuries.
Impact injuries usually occur when the car occupant’s body is forcefully hit or struck by some interior component, such as the steering wheel.
These injuries are frequently the consequence of the occupant’s body being hit or impacted through a powerful impact by some interior component of the vehicle, such as the steering wheel. Penetrating injuries, on the other hand, have an internal effect.
Cuts, scrapes, and open wounds are frequent side effects of penetrating injuries. These frequently result from loose or unrestrained things, such as glass breaking upon impact.
Common Examples of Severe Car Accident Injuries
Limb loss and amputation
Amputation is the removal of a limb. A car accident can result in the amputation of a leg, hand, arm, finger, or toe. Despite being uncommon, a serious injury in a car accident can result in amputation.
Losing a limb in an auto crash is undeniably devastating, whether a hand, arm, or foot. Still, even the more subtle psychological effects can be very damaging.
Undergoing any limb loss or amputation comes with its challenges and is distressing in its way. Research shows that traumatic amputation after a car accident causes various psychological disorders and the incapacity to support oneself.
Spinal injuries
Several parts of the spine could be hurt during an auto accident. The ligaments, vertebrae, and spinal cord discs can sustain an injury in various ways.
A spinal injury from a car accident can permanently change a victim’s strength and sense of touch.
Spinal injuries are categorized according to how they affect the victim. Complete spinal cord injury is the most severe type of spinal cord injury.
With this type of injury, the victim is entirely or mainly unable to control their bodily movement below the point of impact.
Spinal injuries could cause:
- Loss of mobility
- Paralysis
- Muscle spasms
- Loss of sensation
- Sexual dysfunction
- Death
Head and brain injuries
Like spinal injuries, the degree of brain and head injuries can vary greatly. Victims who suffer mild brain and head injuries are pretty lucky. Others are not as fortunate.
Injury to the head or brain can have long-lasting effects or even be fatal. For instance, traumatic brain injuries can cause instant brain damage that demands life-saving surgery or long-term rehabilitation.
A traumatic brain injury can change the emotions and personalities of victims. Several primary injuries (those that develop during the crash) affect particular brain lobes. Others have an impact on the overall brain’s structure.
Other Common Minor Injuries After Car Accidents
The severity of an injury can dictate how life-changing the accident experience is for the victim. But it is crucial to pay attention to even minor injuries.
The injuries below may not be fatal or cause significant harm but could have long-term effects. These include:
- Whiplash: This kind of neck injury results when someone’s head jerks forcefully in a back-and-forth motion. Victims feel like their necks are being whipped. Some whiplash victims heal in a matter of weeks. Others might have to cope with chronic neck pain their whole lives.
- Cuts and scrapes: Serious abrasions could be life-threatening. Most car accident victims, however, escape collisions with only minor scrapes and bruises. You must take appropriate care of these injuries and visit a doctor if necessary. If left untreated, they could get an infection.
- Bone fractures: Fractures can be life-altering but are typically considered minor accidents. Broken bones that are not immediately obvious or that do not pierce the skin are considerably easier to treat. One of the most common fractures from car accidents is broken ribs.
- Traumatic brain injury: This kind of injury varies in severity, just like bone fractures. Long-term health issues or disabilities are common after severe brain injuries. Others, such as minor concussions, could be temporarily risky but not seriously detrimental to the victims.
- Soft tissue injuries: The term ‘soft tissue injury’ is ambiguous. Almost any muscle, ligament, or tendon can sustain tissue injury following an accident. Soft tissue injuries like whiplash can range from mild to severe.
The benefits of seeking treatment for minor injuries go beyond your health. It shields you from accusations that you are misrepresenting your injuries.
Wherever possible, insurers will find ways to reduce the value of your claim. So, avoid delaying seeking medical care as this would offer them a justification.
Driving Behaviors Can Increase the Chance of Serious Injury
Some driving habits can cause collisions, injuries, and even fatalities. It would help if you always abode by the fundamental traffic laws in your state to prevent accidents.
Observe the speed limits set by law, use road signs for navigation, and avoid being confrontational. Many motorists disregard these basic regulations, putting other road users in danger.
Below is a list of several driving practices that could result in serious injury in a car accident, regardless of who drives recklessly.
- Distracted driving, such as talking on the phone, eating, or texting while driving, diverts the driver’s focus off the road.
- Driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs.
- Speeding: Many motorists over-speed when they’re impatient or preoccupied. Some people drive aggressively by exceeding the speed limit.
- Aggressive driving or road rage: Although not all aggressive behavior indicates road rage, both pose an imminent risk to surrounding vehicles.
Why Do Serious Injury Accidents Occur?
The weight of an average car exceeds two tons. That is more than 4,000 pounds of metal and large equipment. A truck can weigh twenty times that.
A driver’s vehicle can morph into a dangerous weapon when they drive carelessly or recklessly. Drivers must be aware of and prepared for the threats on their community’s roads.
Auto accident victims may sustain different injuries that vary in severity. Accidents may result in relatively minor or, rarely, major, catastrophic injuries from car accidents requiring lengthy rehabilitation.
A victim’s probability of requiring lifetime accommodations increases with the severity of the injuries. Any serious injury in a car accident can impair one’s senses, mobility, or fundamental physical functions.
Important car accident statistics
You must be mindful of the incidence of car accidents and their typical causes to understand how accidents lead to severe injuries.
Without context, it might be impossible to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Here is a list of some of the most startling data on automobile accidents and injuries:
- Every year, there are more than 160,000 accidents in Florida that result in injuries.
- More than 10% of collisions result in permanent disability.
- The cost of a lifetime lost wages resulting from accident injuries amounts to $33 billion.
- Men’s hospitalization rate after a car accident is higher than women’s.
- Every year, car accidents in the US cause more than three million injuries.
It is undeniable that car accidents cause a significant number of injuries annually. Regardless of where you are driving, you run the risk of suffering severe, life-changing injuries.
The Most Common Types of Car Accidents and the Serious Injuries They Cause
Many events could result in a collision between two or more cars. Nonetheless, some accidents are more dangerous than others.
Car occupants are more likely to suffer severe injuries or die in a rollover, head-on, side-impact, or rear-end accident. Severe wrecks typically expose car occupants to greater impact of the force of the accident.
Rollover accidents may have devastating impacts
According to the NHTSA, single-vehicle accidents account for about 85% of fatal rollovers. Most drivers roll over when making sudden or emergency maneuvers in larger cars.
But rollovers are also common in multiple-vehicle accidents. Serious injuries caused by rollover crashes include spinal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and fractures.
Side-impact collisions could cause serious injury
Side-impact crashes are sometimes known as T-bone collisions. Side-impact collisions are relatively risky and can result in significant damage.
A side-impact collision occurs when one vehicle strikes another car’s side by the door. By definition, these collisions pose significant risks to motorists and passengers.
Most side-impact crashes occur in parking lots and junctions since cars move naturally perpendicular to each other.
Head-on collisions may be fatal
A head-on collision can be extremely deadly, especially for drivers and front-seat passengers. When two cars clash head-on, they pose an instant risk of death.
According to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety, the fatality rate of car occupants involved in frontal impact accidents is 58%.
Rear-end collisions are prevalent
One of the crashes that frequently happen on roads is a rear-end collision. These can occur in various circumstances where cars move close to each other, such as at stop lights, intersections, and in heavy traffic.
Rear-end collisions can equally result in severe injuries and even death. They range in severity from fender benders to catastrophic or fatal accidents.
Whiplash is among the most common injuries in rear-end collisions, followed by soft tissue, back, and brain injuries.
Trucks and commercial vehicles cause the most serious car accident injuries
Trucks and commercial vehicles pose a significant risk on the road due to their massive size and weight. That is especially true in cases where a big commercial truck and a little personal car collide.
These major truck accidents frequently cause damage and potentially fatal injuries. These collisions can result in various serious injuries, such as bone fractures, burns, traumatic head injuries, and spinal injuries.
Depending on the type of cargo that specific commercial vehicle is transporting, some injuries can be as severe as exposure to dangerous chemicals.
Get Help with Your Car Accident Lawsuit Today!
After a catastrophic auto crash, many people are unsure about what to do next. That is particularly true for those who have suffered severe injuries.
Accident victims will undoubtedly go through much physical and emotional distress. Hiring a car accident lawyer is the last thing they think of.
Legal Giant’s partner attorneys can take some stress off your shoulder so you can focus on recovery. Our partner car accident lawyers are empathetic and experienced, so you can trust them to protect your rights.
They will aggressively stand up against powerful insurers to recover compensation for your damages.
Contact us at (855) 740-5024 for a free case evaluation today.
