SOME OF THE MORE COMMON CAR CRASH INJURIES

Car crashes are the leading cause of injury or death in the United States. In fact, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data compiled in 2012, there were 5.6 million car accidents that one year alone.

At least 1.6 million were injured that same year. Over 30,000 were killed. It’s believed that these injuries and deaths result in claims being filed that total over $277 billion per year.

When it comes to injuries motorists or their passengers most often suffer from, there are trends. Drivers and passengers are most at risk for a head injury if they or the other party who strikes them is driving at a high rate of speed. In situations such as this, it’s not all that uncommon that an individual’s head will make contact with either the steering wheel, window or dashboard resulting in that individual’s traumatic brain injury.

Brain injuries can range from mild, such as a concussion, to severe, resulting in permanent, cognitive disability. Individuals with brain injuries may ultimately have to be treated by a doctor on a long-term basis.

As for back injuries, on the less severe end of the spectrum, temporary muscle weakness or radiating pain into an individual’s arms and legs are commonplace. In moving along the spectrum of injuries, you may find that herniated discs, a condition that can leave patients with numbness and tingling in their limbs as well as in significant pain.

With respect to spinal cord injuries, they have the potential to cause the patient significant nerve damage that may impact their ability to move their feet, arms, legs and hands. A spinal cord injury can also cause a individual to suffer from complete paralysis.

Of all car crash injuries, the most common one by far is whiplash. This type of injury occurs when a person’s head and neck is forced to endure a fast movement forward and back. Most cases of whiplash happen when a driver is struck from the rear.

It’s also quite common that car crash victims suffer from chest injuries. In this case, any type of blunt force trauma to the torso can easily cause collapsed lungs, broken ribs, cardiac arrest, abdominal disruptions, pelvic fractures and internal organ damage.

If you’ve been involved in a vehicle collision and suffered from one of these injuries, then a Bowling Green, Kentucky, car crash attorney can provide guidance in your legal case.

Source: FindLaw, “Types of car accident injuries,” accessed July 14, 2017