According to the Center for Disease Control, car accident injuries caused a million drivers to spend one-million days in hospitals in 2012. That same year, car accidents caused an estimated $18 billion in lifetime medical expenses and $33 billion in future lost earnings.
There’s no argument that automobiles have inflicted a severe amount of pain on the population of the United States, but many individuals who are hurt in car accidents, don’t even know that they’re entitled to damages for their injuries. For example, bruising, whiplash, and other soft-tissue injuries often don’t manifest themselves until days after the accident but are real injuries, nonetheless.
Common Injuries in Car Accidents
Car accidents can result in anything from minor bruises and abrasions to death. If you are in an accident, you should get yourself checked by a doctor. Some of the most common types of injuries that are caused by car accidents are listed here:
Whiplash – When a vehicle is rear-ended, the head of the driver of the front vehicle will snap backward — more accurately, the body is pushed forward while the head attempts to remain in place. When this motion stops, the head will bounce forward. This often results in an injury called whiplash, due to the rapid snap.
Bone Fractures – Bone fractures or breaks can occur with nearly any type of car accident, but they are most prevalent during high-speed crashes. Bone fractures are subcategorized into greenstick, transverse, spiral, oblique, compression, comminuted, and segmental. All bone fractures should be taken seriously.
Soft-Tissue Damage or Bruising – This occurs when small blood vessels in or near the surface of the skin are damaged. While most people consider bruises to be minor injuries, they can be quite severe and uncomfortable.
Cuts and Abrasions – Like bruising, these are primarily skin injuries. Cuts can be caused by flying shards of glass or debris, or they can result from impact with a part of the car. Abrasions occur frequently in car accidents. For instance, when an airbag deploys and the driver is holding the wheel. The airbag expands rapidly along the driver’s forearms, resulting in abrasions. Motorcyclists impacting the road also often sustain “road rash” which is a specific kind of abrasion.
Burns – Burns are more common in car accidents where the vehicle catches on fire, but chemical burns can also occur when a car gets in an accident with a commercial vehicle transporting acidic or caustic materials.
Retain the Services of a Car Accident Attorney
Hipskind & McAcinch – St. Louis car accident lawyers recommend that if you’ve been in a car accident with even minor injuries, you contact a professional car accident lawyer that works in your area. Most car accident lawyers offer free consultations and work on a contingency basis. That means that they only get paid if they successfully conclude your case with a settlement or jury award.
Your health and safety are paramount, so make sure you seek medical attention immediately, but then contact a competent car accident lawyer to discuss your claim.
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