Imagine yourself on your drive home from work. It is a beautiful day outside and you are about to go home and relax after a long day. When all of a sudden, a driver smashes into the back of your vehicle. In an instant your day has changed and the next weeks, months, and even years of your life can be completely different. A car accident is serious, and in the immediate aftermath you may immediately notice the physical damage to the vehicles involved, but you might not be aware of the damage that you have suffered.
A car accident lets out loads of endorphins and dopamine into your body to put yourself into a self preservation mode. These endorphins are extremely helpful as they can help you make rational and calm decisions in a time of crisis, but they can also cover up some of the injuries that you may have sustained from a car accident. The injuries you have suffered from may not be immediately apparent, however they can be severe and can have serious implications on your life.
Injuries from car accidents can vary in severity, duration of impact, and the ways that they can affect your day to day life. In this article, our Utah car accident lawyers will be detailing the most common injuries in a car accident, as well as the effects that these injuries can have on your day to day life.
Whiplash
The most common injury received from a car accident is whiplash. Whiplash is an injury that occurs when a vehicle comes to a sudden or an abrupt stop, this then causes your head to jerk rapidly back and forth.
This sudden movement of your head can cause symptoms of neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and dizziness. Whiplash symptoms may not occur immediately after a car accident, however it is crucial to seek medical attention immediately if any of these symptoms arise following a car accident.
Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Your brain is the most important organ in your body, and it is also the most delicate. When a violent impact or sudden jolt occurs it can cause the brain to collide with the inner walls of the skull. This impact can lead to a concussion or a Traumatic Brain Injury.
A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is one of the most serious injuries that you can receive from a car accident, and these injuries can result in extreme serious conditions and side effects. The symptoms of a TBI can include headaches, nausea, confusion, memory loss, changes in mood or behavior, and a loss of bodily functions.
A TBI needs to be taken seriously and treated as soon as possible, if you notice yourself feeling any of the symptoms above seek medical attention immediately. An untreated or an undiagnosed TBI can lead to permanent cognitive impairments or even lifelong disabilities.
Broken Bones
A car accident exerts excessive force and can sometimes lead to broken or fractured bones. The most commonly broken bones in a car accident are found in the arms, legs, and the collarbone. A broken bone can vary greatly in terms of severity, they can be as minimal as a greenstick fracture, or depending on the severity of the crash it could potentially be as bad as a compound fracture.
Depending on the break you may need to seek out physical therapy as you could experience long term pain or mobility issues, and in severe cases you may even need to seek out surgery for a broken bone. If you notice pain, swelling, tenderness, and inability to move your body part, bruising or discoloration, or a bump that is not usually on your body then your bone may be broken. If this is the case, contact a doctor as soon as possible.
Internal Injuries
The impact from a car accident may cause injuries that are not visible as well, like an internal injury. These injuries include damage to the organs, as well as internal bleeding, or even a punctured lung. An internal injury is incredibly dangerous, as they are not always immediately noticeable and they can be life threatening if not treated promptly.
You can tell that you may have an internal injury if you suffer from any of the following symptoms: abdominal pain, tenderness over the injured area, a rigid abdomen, left arm and shoulder pain, right sided abdominal pain and right shoulder pain, blood in your urine, or cold sweaty skin. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms our car accident attorneys strongly recommend seeking medical attention immediately as you may be suffering from internal injuries.
Spine Injuries
A car accident is one of the leading causes of spine and spinal cord injuries across the nation. The impact form a car accident can put severe strain on your back, and your spine injury can range from numbness to back pain, all the way up to paralysis.
A spinal injury is serious as it can affect your day to day life; whether it is, mild discomfort throughout your day, difficulty standing for long periods of time, or even significant losses of mobility and independence. The discs in between our vertebrae are often the breaking point when our bodies are subject to a force from impact. When a disc is impacted (either a bulge or a full herniation) these injuries are permanent. This means that they will not heal on their own and you will likely be dealing with these injuries for the rest of your life. This makes seeking treatment critical to your recovery as it can help ease your pain and suffering for the future.
Psychological and Emotional Injuries
Your body is not the only thing that can be injured in a car accident. A car accident is a very traumatic event and it is fairly common to notice feelings of uneasiness in the days following the accident. You may experience bouts of anxiety while getting into a car, trouble sleeping, depression, or even bouts of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
A mental injury can be much harder to identify, and these symptoms can be just as debilitating as a physical injury. If you notice that you are feeling any of the symptoms of depression, anxiety, or PTSD it is crucial that you seek the help of a mental health professional. While these injuries may not be visible they need to be treated with the same urgency and seriousness as a regular injury.
A car accident can lead to a wide variety of injuries, and some of these injuries may not be immediately apparent. By knowing what injuries you may experience beforehand you will be able to seek treatment as quickly as possible in the event of a car accident. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, remember to seek medical attention as soon as possible even if you feel fine initially.
Your next step should be to contact the Utah car accident experts at LifeLaw Trial Lawyers for a free consultation. Our team of expert car accident lawyers will help guide you through every step of the legal process. Our car accident lawyers will fight tirelessly to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve for your pain and suffering. If you have been hurt give us a call today for a free consultation, and to discuss your options further.