What Injuries Are Common After a Car Accident?

Car accidents can often be traumatic events, causing severe or life-threatening injuries or even death in some cases. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, you should contact the Law Offices of Michael J. Brennan. As a skilled attorney with years of experience, Michael Brennan can help you pursue any compensation you may be entitled to after your accident.

What Are Common Injuries After an Accident?

Common injuries after an accident include head and traumatic brain injuries, neck injuries, chest or abdominal injuries, back injuries and burns:

Head Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

Head injuries can be severe in a car accident. A collision force may cause the head to strike the dashboard or other part of the car or object. These injuries may range from mild concussions to more serious traumatic brain injuries (TBI) such as bruising, bleeding, tearing, or other physical severe damage to the brain. Depending on the severity of the head or brain injury, these injuries may heal over a few weeks or lead to chronic and debilitating symptoms

Neck Injuries

The force of the impact in a car accident may often cause the head to jerk forward, injuring the neck. Whiplash is one of the most common neck injuries, typically caused by the sudden jerking motion damaging muscles, ligaments, or spinal disks in the neck. Another common neck injury after an accident includes broken bones in the neck.

Chest or Abdominal Injuries

Car crashes may also cause damage to the diaphragm through ruptures or tears to the muscle. Other abdominal injuries may include injuries to major internal organs such as the kidneys, spleen, liver, or other organs, resulting in internal bleeding and require surgery.

Back Injuries

Common back injuries after a car accident include spinal injuries such as thoracic or lumbar strains. Minor injuries to the back may result in chronic pain, while more severe injuries may often cause paralysis in one or more limbs or over large portions of the body.

Burns

Car accidents may cause burns if the vehicle catches fire or from touching hot parts of the car. Severe burns may cause serious deep tissue damage and often require years of repeated and expensive treatment. Smoke inhalation may also cause lung damage.

How Many People Die in Car Accidents Each Year? 

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 36,096 people died in car crashes in 2019. This number of fatalities represented a two percent decrease from the 36,835 deaths that were reported in 2018.

What to Do After a Car Accident

1. Check for Injuries – You should immediately seek medical attention even if you do not immediately appear hurt, as some injuries may be masked by adrenaline or shock.
2. Contact Law Enforcement – You should contact law enforcement after an accident. The officer will often prepare an accident report, which may be needed by your insurance company or the other driver’s insurer.
3. Document the Scene – You should thoroughly document the scene, including obtaining the other driver’s contact information and information for any witnesses, as well as taking pictures of the vehicles and the location of the accident.
4. Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer – An experienced attorney may often be crucial after a car accident in helping you pursue any compensation you may be entitled to.

Learn more about this, in our FAQ.

What to Do After a Minor Accident?

Minor car accidents may typically appear to be less serious than other accidents, but may nonetheless require certain steps to be taken by you, such as:

1. Document the Scene – Even if the accident appears minor, you should still document the scene thoroughly as you would with any car accident.
2. Contact the Police – For minor accidents with no apparent injuries, you should generally call the direct number for the local police or sheriff’s department instead of using 911.
3. Move Your Vehicle – After minor accidents, it is generally best to move your car to the side of the road if able to do so.
4. Exchange Information – You should exchange names of everyone involved, document the other driver’s license plate, driver’s license number, and any insurance information, as well as the state of the other driver, such as if he or she appears to be intoxicated.
5. Seek Medical Attention if Necessary –Often, some soft-tissue injuries such as whiplash may not be immediately noticeable because your adrenaline may be masking the pain. You should seek medical attention if you appear to be injured. You should also pay close attention to how you feel after the accident and seek attention if you begin experiencing pain or other symptoms of an injury.
6. Contact a Car Accident Lawyer – A car accident lawyer may help you even after a minor accident by helping you file a claim with your insurer, understand your legal options, and negotiate with your insurer or the other driver’s if necessary.

Contact Michael J. Brennan

By contacting an experienced car accident attorney like Michael Brennan, he will help you pursue the compensation you may be entitled to. Michael will thoroughly investigate the accident to gather evidence to prove the other driver’s liability for the wreck as well as to prove the extent of your injuries and damages. Michael has years of experience negotiating with insurance companies and can help level the playing field against the teams of lawyers these insurers hire to help them avoid paying as much as possible to settle any claims.