Every year, tens of thousands of Michigan residents suffer serious injuries as a direct result of vehicular accidents. The severity of these crashes can vary greatly — some collisions may only cause minor scrapes and bruises, while others can result in catastrophic or even fatal injuries.
If you were injured in a traffic accident and have out-of-pocket expenses, you need to file a claim against the at-fault driver to recover compensation. Fortunately, you can contact the Michigan car accident attorneys at Lee Steinberg Law Firm to get started with your claim today.
In this law blog, we answer the question, “What injuries can you get from a car accident?” and we’ll dive into the specifics of some of the most common auto accident injuries.
What Injuries Can You Get From a Car Accident?
The intense force generated in a crash has the potential to cause numerous types of injuries. A driver or passenger can get hurt after hitting an object, such as a dashboard or steering wheel, and they can suffer injuries from the energy generated by the collision’s impact.
Some common injuries from car accidents include:
- Soft tissue injuries: These injuries are the most common after a crash and can impact numerous muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other soft tissues in the body. Types of soft tissue injuries include bruising, sprains, bursitis, tendonitis, and stress injuries. The most frequently afflicted area of the body is the neck, as whiplash is exceedingly common.
- Cuts and lacerations: A car accident may cause broken glass and sharp debris to minorly or severely cut vehicle occupants. Even a seemingly minor open wound can become infected, so you need to receive medical treatment if you’ve been cut.
- Internal injuries: The force of a crash, flying debris, and crushing injuries can all potentially damage a person’s internal organs. Common internal injuries after a collision include ruptured spleens, abdominal aorta ruptures, punctured lungs, and internal bleeding.
- Head injuries: A head injury from a car accident can be relatively mild, such as a driver suffering a bruise from hitting the steering wheel, or it can be catastrophic or fatal, as is the case with many types of traumatic head injuries (TBIs).
- Back and spinal cord injuries: Back and spinal cord injuries are incredibly common after an accident and may range from minor tenderness to paralysis or death. Unfortunately, some back injuries may not be apparent until days or even weeks after a crash.
- Fractures: Collisions often result in serious broken bone injuries, including fractures in the face, sternum, legs, arms, pelvis, and more.
While this list covers many types of common injuries one may sustain in a collision, car accidents have the potential to cause numerous other conditions, such as:
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Nerve damage
- Depression
- Burn injuries
- Amputations
- Anxiety and fear
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Knee injuries
- Joint dislocations
If you suspect that you’ve suffered from an injury after a car accident, you need to seek immediate medical attention.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a sudden back-and-forth motion of the head. They’re incredibly common in vehicular accidents, and they’re especially frequent in rear-end accidents.
Some symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain
- Neck stiffness and loss of mobility
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Numbness or tingling in your arms
- Pain and tenderness in the shoulders, arms, and upper back
- Headaches that start at the skull’s base
While not all whiplash injuries are serious — some suffering from this condition will recover within only a few weeks — you should receive a proper medical diagnosis. The rapid whipping motion of your head may also fracture spinal bones and discs and may cause other injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
You may suffer from a mild or serious TBI if you hit your head against an object. You can also suffer from this condition if the force generated in the collision causes your brain to strike the interior of your skull.
There are many different types of traumatic brain injuries, and the most common is a concussion, also called a mild TBI. Other types include:
- Brain hemorrhages
- Contusions
- Intracranial hematomas
- Diffuse Axonal injuries
- Penetrating brain injuries
- Coup-Contrecoup brain injuries
TBIs may manifest in a variety of symptoms, such as:
- Headaches or migraines
- Seizures
- Changes in mood
- Emotional instability
- Trouble focusing
- Speech issues
- Loss of smell or taste
- Blurred vision
Traumatic brain injuries can permanently alter a person’s life, and they can be fatal if left untreated. If you suspect that you’ve suffered from a concussion or a more serious traumatic brain injury, you need to seek emergency medical attention.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries can temporarily or permanently disable a car accident victim, and a catastrophic spinal cord injury can be fatal. The two basic types of spinal injuries are complete and incomplete.
With an incomplete spinal cord injury, the spinal cord is damaged but can still send messages to the brain. Those with incomplete spinal cord injuries are frequently able to recover some or all of their motor functions, while others may face permanent limitations.
Complete spinal cord injuries occur when the connection between the spine and brain is completely severed, resulting in:
- Monoplegia: loss of function in one arm or leg
- Hemiplegia: loss of function in one side of the body
- Paraplegia: loss of function in both legs or lower body
- Quadriplegia: loss of function in all four limbs.
Symptoms of spinal cord injuries include:
- Losing mobility in parts of the body
- Difficulty breathing
- Incontinence
- Muscle cramping
- Tingling
- Severe pain in muscles after physical activity
- Muscle weakness
Injured in an Accident? Contact a Michigan Car Accident Attorney
Injuries in car accidents can severely impact a person’s livelihood and enjoyment of life, and these conditions also frequently require expensive medical treatments, including doctor’s visits, prescriptions, ongoing care, and physical therapy.
If you suffered from an injury caused by a negligent driver, you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for your past and future medical bills, lost wages, and other losses. You can hold the at-fault driver accountable by filing a claim with their insurance company. Unfortunately, the liable insurance company will likely attempt to devalue your claim or reject it entirely. For that reason, it’s critical to hire a personal injury attorney to help you with your case.
For expert legal assistance after a crash in Michigan, contact the attorneys at Lee Steinberg Law Firm. We have over 40 years of experience helping injured Michigan residents, and we’re ready to take on your case.
You can schedule a free case evaluation with our Michigan car accident attorneys by calling 800-533-3733, or you can schedule your consultation online here.
