What are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries & How to Avoid Them?
Drivers and passengers involved in car accidents can sustain all sorts of injuries. However, some injuries are more common than others. These injuries are either caused by physical impact with the interior of the car, or pieces of the car penetrating the body in some way. The vast majority of injuries fall into five main categories: minor, limb, soft tissue, chest, and head.
Top 5 Most Common Car Accident Injuries
People with severe injuries are usually taken to a hospital for treatment. Some injuries seem mild at first but lead to long-term physical challenges. It’s a good idea to seek help from an experienced personal injury law firm, before filing an injury claim to ensure you receive the right amount of compensation for any pain and suffering.
1). Minor Injuries
Sustaining minor injuries from a car accident is very common. Those lucky enough to walk away from a collision relatively unharmed may only have cuts, bruises, or a few scrapes. Things you keep inside the car such as cell phones, handbags, tablets, briefcases, or even drinking mugs become airborne upon impact and can hit you in a flash. Usually, the injuries caused by these types of items don’t require medical treatment. Occasionally, an object hits hard enough to require stitches, but the injury is still considered to be minor.
2). Limb Injuries
Injury to the arms and legs happen when a collision causes a person to hit the car interior especially hard. A good example is knees bumping into the dashboard. Bracing for impact can result in arm and hand sprains.
3). Soft Tissue Injuries
Hands down, soft tissue injuries are the most common injury suffered as the result of car accidents. This is mainly due to whiplash injuries, which affect the neck and upper back muscles. Back injuries are also quite common. Collisions can be brutal to a body’s soft connective tissue such as ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Severe soft tissue injuries can cause life-altering damage to the spine, leading to temporary or permanent paralysis..
4). Chest Injuries
Chest injuries range from mere bruising to broken ribs. This type of injury is common for drivers who are forced into the steering wheel or thrown forward at a high velocity.
5). Head Injuries
Head injuries can be minor or severe. The injury is considered minor when there are only visible head scrapes and bruises with no severe pain or bleeding. Concussions fall into the medium serious range and may or may not require hospitalization. When the head is slammed hard against a windshield or door, or a person is ejected from the car, this may result in severe brain damage.
