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Car accidents cause various injuries, but the severity varies depending on whether the accident victim wore a seat belt, if the car got hit from the side, front or rear, high or low-speed collision, or if the vehicle had airbags. Here are five common car accident injuries.

Head injuries

Head injuries can be severe or minor depending on the impact and can potentially affect your life permanently. You may suffer a concussion, a traumatic brain injury resulting from a sudden momentum or movement change, causing your brain to strike the inside of the skull.

When you suffer a direct impact on your head, it may bruise the brain, causing a contusion. You may also get a penetrating head wound if an external object goes through your skull. A diffusion axonal is a head injury from severe shaking or rotation. You may also experience a coup-contrecoup injury when the brain suddenly jerks within the skull.

Spine injuries

Car accident spine injuries are severe, potentially life-threatening injuries. Trauma to the thoracic spine, lumbar spine and cervical spine can sever or damage the spinal cord, causing paralysis from the neck or waist down. Factors contributing to car accident spine injury may include seat position in the vehicle, whether the victim’s head turned, height, weight, and more. One might lose sensation and feeling in the affected areas from spinal injuries.

If you suspect that you’ve suffered a spinal injury, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention to reduce the chances of permanent damage while maximizing recovery. You should also talk to this San Antonio spinal cord injury lawyer to help you get the compensation you deserve. 

Internal injuries

Internal injuries can arise from major and minor accidents. Some internal injuries you might suffer include broken ribs, pneumothorax or collapsed lung, organ damage, ruptured spleen, abdominal aorta rupture, traumatic brain injury, and internal bleeding. People with internal bleeding might experience abdominal pain, lightheadedness, pale complexion, feeling cold, fatigue, and thirst. It can result from decelerating trauma or penetrating trauma. Unlike other accidents, internal injuries can easily be missed unless you conduct professional CT scans, X-rays, or careful examination.

Back injuries

A car accident may force you to exert on your spine and back. Some back injuries include:

• Whiplash: A car crash injury resulting from fast, back and forth head and neck movements upon an impact, tearing and damaging the tendons, muscles, nerves, ligaments, discs, and bones in the cervical spine
• Sprains and strains: The impact force from a car accident causes lower back ligaments, tendons, and muscles to tear or overstretch, causing strains and sprains and leading to severe lower back pain, muscle spasms, and tightness
• Spinal disc damage: Traumatic road accidents can damage or displace one or more of the 23 spinal discs sitting between vertebrae to cushion and offer support
• Joint injuries: A car accident can hurt the facet joints connecting the vertebrae in the spine, causing lower back pain, stiffness, and inflammation

Burns

Car accident victims may suffer burns from hot fluids or if the vehicle catches fire. Severe burns may need face grafting and surgery.

Endnote

Car accidents can affect different body parts depending on the type of accident and impact level. Seeking immediate medical care and detailed examination can help rule out any injuries the naked eye can’t see.