According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than three million people sustain non-fatal injuries in motor vehicle accidents in the United States each year. The types of injuries that result from a car accident are as diverse as each unique collision and vary in severity as well, but there are certain injuries that are more likely to occur in car crashes than others. Our Woodstock car accident attorney explains the five most common car accident injuries.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries damage the body’s connective tissue, such as muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Examples of soft tissue injuries include sprains and strains, although the most common soft tissue injury that results from auto accidents is whiplash. Whiplash is caused by a sudden jolt, such as someone hitting your vehicle from behind, which causes your head and neck to move rapidly back and forth, straining your upper back and neck muscles (whiplash can cause injury to your brain as well).
Head Injuries
Head injuries can take many forms, from relatively minor and temporary to severe and life-threatening. Injuries to the head may be caused by a blow to the head, an object penetrating the skull, or simply the sudden jolt of the vehicle upon impact. Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) like concussions are common, but car accident head injuries also include cuts and bruises that affect the exterior of the skull as well.
Scrapes, Cuts & Bruises
When a car crash occurs, broken glass, car parts, and loose objects in your car—phones, bags, etc.—can become projectiles upon impact. If the body is struck, these can cause cuts and other injuries ranging from mild to severe. Cuts, scrapes, and bruises may also be caused when a part of your body strikes a part of your vehicle or because of a deploying airbag.
Chest Injuries
Chest injuries are also very common in auto accidents. Like most injuries, they can range from mild, like a bruise, to severe, such as broken ribs or internal bleeding. Such injuries may be caused by the force of hitting the steering wheel or airbag or by being violently jerked forward into a seatbelt.
Arm & Leg Injuries
When a side impact crash takes place, your arms and legs can be thrown hard against your car door or another hard surface. Knee injuries are especially common, as car accidents often cause your knees to hit the dashboard, steering wheel, or seats in front of you. Depending on the nature of the collision, injuries to your arms and legs might be mere bruises or scrapes, but sprains, breaks, and other more serious injuries can occur as well.
If you or someone you know has been injured in a car accident in Woodstock, we are here to help. Contact The Dickinson Law Firm, LLC now for a free consultation. We will fight to obtain just compensation to cover your medical bills if you have been injured.
