Injuries resulting from car accidents can be as unique and varied as the circumstances that led to and caused the individual accident. Depending on the type of accident that occurs, injuries can range from very mild to severe. Despite the wide range in severity, however, some car accident injuries result more frequently than others.
Car Accident Injuries: Umbrella Categories
Generally, car accident injuries fall within one of two umbrella categories: (1) impact injuries and (2) penetrating injuries. As the name suggests, impact injuries occur when a person’s body part comes hits a foreign object, which is usually the interior of the car in a motor vehicle accident. Penetrating injuries, on the other hand, are typically lacerations and occur when a foreign object pierces or scrapes the person’s skin or other organ. In a car accident, penetrating injuries usually result when a loose object in the cabin of the vehicle is thrown in the direction of a driver or passenger because of the impact of the crash.
Head Injuries
Head injuries are some of the most common car accident injuries that people suffer because they can be so varied in nature. Indeed, head injuries can be categorized as either impact injuries or a penetrating injuries depending on the facts surrounding the accident. Common head impact injuries, such as concussions or even traumatic brain injury, can occur in a car accident when a person’s head hits off of the side window, steering wheel, dashboard, or the windshield. Consequently, whenever a person hits his or her head off of an object in a car accident, it is prudent that he or she seek immediate medical attention to determine if he or she has suffered a concussion or other traumatic brain injury. Meanwhile, common penetrating head injuries, such as cuts and scrapes, often result in a car accident when the head comes into contact with a sharp or jagged object like broken glass or flying objects.
Musculoskeletal Injuries
Musculoskeletal injuries occur when people suffer damage to their soft tissue – i.e., their muscles, ligaments, or tendons. In a car crash, by far the most common musculoskeletal injury is what is known as whiplash. Whiplash occurs when the muscles and/or ligaments in the neck and upper back are stretched because of the sudden movement the head and neck experience in a collision. Signs of whiplash include stiffness in the neck or upper back, loss of range of motion, and worsening of pain with movement of the neck or upper back.
In addition to suffering whiplash, other common musculoskeletal injuries that occur during a car crash are sprains to the mid- and lower back due to the impact imposed on the spine.
Bone Fractures
Depending on the speed and the direction the cars are going at the moment of impact, those injured may suffer bone fractures. Bone fractures commonly result when the cars are traveling at a high rate of speed when the accident occurs or if the direction of the cars at impact causes one or more of the cars to flip or roll. While any bone may be broken in a car accident, those particularly at risk of being fractured are those in a person’s extremities – i.e, the hands, feet, arms, and legs.
Contact a Fort Lauderdale Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in Florida
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in Florida? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Lawlor, White & Murphey represent clients injured because of car accidents in Fort Lauderdale, Venice, Naples, Pompano Beach, and throughout Florida. Call 954-525-2345 (South Florida) or (855) 347-5475 (Toll Free) or email us to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 2211 Davie Boulevard, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312, as well as offices in Naples, Venice, Port St. Lucie, Pembroke Pines, Weston, Coconut Creek, Pompano Beach, and Plantation.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.