Common Car Accident-Related Health Concerns – Car accidents are one of the main causes of injuries and deaths. If you have been in one recently, you may be dealing with different health concerns, and worried about your health and your recovery. In these cases, it is common for accident victims to reach out to car accident lawyers to get help with the legal side of their accident. A lawyer can help you fight for your rights to get the maximum compensation to which you might be entitled. As far as the injuries that may be caused by car accidents, here are just a few of the most common ones.
Whiplash
Undoubtedly, whiplash occupies a place of honor when it comes to injuries that occur in a car accident. It usually happens when the car stops or jerks suddenly, forcing the neck to move back and forth in a rapid, unnatural way. It affects the muscles in the neck, as well as the spinal disks and ligaments. It results in pain and discomfort that can heal within a short time or become severe. If you experience pain in the neck area or have noticed a decreased range of motion or worsening of the pain whenever you perform certain movements, get treated right away. You do not want this to become a chronic condition.
Concussion
Concussions are caused when the head moves suddenly, like when you feel the jolt of a car slamming into yours. Your head doesn’t need to come into contact with an object for a concussion to appear. Symptoms of a concussion can include temporary loss of consciousness, headache, or a feeling of pressure on the head. If you have been in a car accident recently and you find that you are experiencing some memory loss, or if you are having trouble concentrating or focusing, ask your healthcare provider for a neurological evaluation. You do not want to have your concussion turn into a more serious injury by choosing not to have it treated.
Bone Fractures
Bones tend to break when they receive the blunt force of the car jerking as it is being hit. It is common for accidents to involve extreme amounts of force that, when applied to your body, can be too much for your bones to withstand. Bones that tend to break during car accidents are arms, legs, ankles, and hips.
READ: St. Louis Truck Accident Support Resources
There are two different types of bone fractures that you can experience during a car accident. The first one is a simple fracture in which there are no open wounds and the broken bones are fixed by the victim wearing a cast. The second type, called a compound fracture, happens when the bone breaks and tears the skin. These may call for surgery to get repaired.
Head Injuries
If your head hits the side window, the steering wheel, or even the windshield, you may end up sustaining a head injury. No matter how minor these may appear, it is never a good idea to ignore a head injury since there is always a possibility that it may be life-threatening if there is internal damage of which you may be unaware.
Even if all you feel after the accident is a mild headache that you are convinced will disappear on its own after you take some pain medicine, it is better to have it checked out by a healthcare provider. You want to rule out any potential concerns and you also do not want something that could have been treated easily when it first appears to become worse with time.
Cuts and Bruises
You may look at your skin and notice that there are cuts and bruises after an accident. Some of these may cause no problem and heal quickly. Others may be serious and can affect internal organs or deep muscles. Generally, these injuries are caused by flying objects, broken glass, or pieces of metal sheets. Any open injury and bleeding also carries the added risk of becoming infected so make sure to have your doctor give you instructions on steps you need to take to ensure they heal quickly and thoroughly.
Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding is, in many cases, very difficult for the victim to self-diagnose. Yet, the force of a car crash can be responsible for causing damage to internal organs, causing them to tear or bleed. It is crucial to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible after an accident precisely because internal injuries may threaten your life and you may become aware of them too late if left unattended.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Some of the most life-altering injuries are those that affect the spine. When it is injured, you may lose the ability to control your limbs and experience permanent changes in your strength, sensation, or other body functions. Research into spinal cord injury repair is still ongoing but for the moment you might need treatments and rehabilitation and help with many tasks.
Emotional Trauma
The psychological impact of a car crash cannot be ignored. Many people become afraid to drive again and others experience depression, sleeplessness, anxiety, anger, PTSD, and flashbacks. Some of these feelings may fade away with time but in some other cases, victims require either medication or psychological therapies to overcome the emotional trauma related to the accident.
What Determines the Severity of An Injury?
Many factors play a role in how severe an injury is. These include your position in the car, meaning whether you are the driver or a passenger. Also, how the car takes the impact, be it from the back, the side, or the front, and whether you were wearing the seatbelt or not.
READ: 7 Common Types of Accident At Work
Whether you have been in an accident or not, since the place where you sit in the car or the force of the impact is not under your control, it is worth it to remember to always wear a seatbelt to decrease your chances of getting seriously injured in a crash.
