Nobody wants to get into a car accident. Yet, they seem to happen on a regular basis. Whether it’s because of distracted driving or inclement weather, the risk of injury is substantial. Even what would seem like a minor fender bender can sometimes result in injury.
The 5 Most Common Car Accident Injuries
In the interest of making readers aware of the risk of making a difficult time more understandable, we’ve compiled a list of the five most common car accident injuries along with some of their symptoms.
1. Whiplash
Whiplash from a car accident is a very common injury. They typically occur when a person is rear ended while their vehicle is not moving. The impact causes his or her head to move in a backward and forward motion, and it affects both the bones in the spine and the soft tissue around them. The most common symptoms are neck pain or stiffness and a limited range of motion. It’s also usual for a person who experienced whiplash to suffer from a suffer onset of headaches.
If the impact was extremely forceful, the person may also experience a ringing in their ears and dizziness.
2. Back and Neck Injuries
A car accident often results in back injuries. Some of the most common are herniated discs (the soft cartilage in between your vertebrae) and spondylolisthesis (when vertebrae slip forward).
The problem with these types of injuries is that the symptoms can vary from none to chronic back pain. This is why it’s essential to get evaluated by a doctor soon after an accident. If the injury was to the spinal cord, the person will experience more severe symptoms, such as tingling, numbness, and loss of bladder control. If the pain is severe at the time of the accident, it’s imperative to prevent movement and to wait for first responders to transport the person to emergency care.
3. Head Injuries
Head injuries are particularly critical, especially because they’re not always obvious. Car accidents are the leading cause of this type of injury. One of the most common is concussions, which can lead a person to feel disoriented or to be unable to remember details of the accident. Other signs of brain injury include:
- Slurred speech
- Delayed reactions
- Nausea and vomiting
- Sensitivity to light
- Trouble falling asleep or interrupted sleep
- Trouble maintaining balance
- Irritability or newfound anger issues
- Sleeping more than usual due to a lack of energy
4. Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)
Doctors and lawyers love to use acronyms, so it’s always good to know what some of them mean. This is the joint where the jaw connects to the rest of the skull. TMJ is a common injury referred to in personal injury cases because they happen so often in car accidents.
Some of the most common signs of a TMJ injury include pain when speaking, eating, or yawning; pain that radiates towards a person’s ears. It’s also usual to feel a clicking or locking of the jaw.
5. Emotional Distress
Physical injuries aren’t the only type of damage a person can suffer to their health. In particularly catastrophic cases, a person may have experienced such a traumatic event, which causes anxiety, sleep disturbances, depression, or PTSD. All of these are serious issues that could also be claimed in a lawsuit after a car accident.
Call Clark Hartpence Law if You’ve Been Injured in a Car Accident in Tampa Bay
If you’ve been involved in a car accident, you need to act fast. This is because the law has certain time limitations for you to be able to recover damages. For example, in personal injury protection cases, you have to file your claim within 14 days of the accident.
If you or someone you love has been involved in an accident, call us at (855) 680-4911 or schedule a free consultation.
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and does not create an attorney/client relationship.