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Every year, approximately two million Americans sustain injuries in motor vehicle accidents. Some of these injuries may heal with ease after short medical treatments, but others will take a long time, requiring costly surgeries and medical procedures. Some victims may never fully recover from injuries.

What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?

Certain injuries occur more often than others in car accidents. According to Philadelphia car accident attorneys, these are the seven most common types of injuries from car accidents.

1. Soft Tissue Damage

One of the most common injuries to occur in both minor and severe accidents is damage to soft tissue. Whiplash is an example of soft tissue damage, stretching the head and neck ligaments and muscles. With soft tissue damage, it is common to experience pain, bruising, swelling, and a limited range of motion. There may be sounds or sensations of popping as well.

2. Cuts and Scrapes

Broken glass, car parts, and airbags can cause scrapes and tears to the skin. Some of these will be minor, but any scrape or cut followed by a fever, pus draining from the wound, or increased pain and swelling in the 48 hours after the accident needs immediate medical attention.

3. Head Injuries

The most common fatal injury in a car accident is head trauma. In fact, across the country, over 150 people die from head and brain injuries every day. Not all head injuries have visible lacerations. If you have been in a car accident, you should pay close attention to how you feel.

Even if you feel fine, seeking medical treatment is important because you may have a concussion, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), or even permanent brain damage. Symptoms can range from a headache to dizziness and vomiting. If you have difficulty speaking, feel confused, lose your sense of balance, or pass out, you must seek medical intervention immediately.

4. Injuries to Appendages

Because a car accident causes sudden and unnatural directional changes, it can cause you to suffer injuries to your arms and legs. Fractures and even loss of limbs may happen in a severe car collision. Most commonly, bruises and scrapes occur, but if you feel numbness, tingling, or have a limited range of motion, you should seek treatment.

5. Chest Injuries

When chest injuries occur, they often require surgery. You may only have some bruises or contusions. In serious incidences, you may have broken ribs, a collapsed lung, damage to internal organs, or internal bleeding. The driver is at a higher risk of chest injuries because of the limited space between their chest and the steering wheel. Seatbelts and airbags may also cause injuries to the chest when they engage upon impact.

6. Back Injuries

Injuries to the spinal cord are common in car accidents. Back injuries usually do not reveal themselves immediately. It could take weeks to realize that you have an injury. This is why getting examined at the hospital immediately is so important. It should be documented in the event you need help recovering your losses.

7. Damage to Internal Organs

Flying debris or the impact of your body on the part of the car can cause damage to your internal organs. You may feel shaken up but choose to shake it off; however, you should never skip a medical examination after an accident for this reason. Internal bleeding can lead to death when left untreated.

If you have been in a car accident, look for swelling, abdominal pain, and deep purple discolorations on the skin where you were impacted. Rather than attempting to self-diagnose, get the peace of mind you need by seeking medical attention after an accident.

In many instances, injuries that result from a car crash are not immediately noticeable. You do not want to risk something severe being present. Additionally, it can benefit your case when seeking damages to ensure you recover your medical and other expenses after the accident.