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    Types of Car Accident Injuries

    When an individual is involved in a serious car accident, the likelihood of injury is extremely high. Even minor fender benders or slow-speed, rear-end collisions are capable of causing vehicle occupants harm or leaving people suffering from life-threatening injuries. While safety measures can minimize the risk of serious injury, the impact of a collision often leads to catastrophic or deadly car accident injuries.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), car accidents put crash victims in the hospital for a combined one million days in one recent year. The CDC report also indicated 2.5 million car accident victims sought treatment in emergency departments, and about 10 percent of those persons required hospitalization.

    Car Accident Legal Help Now

    If you have been injured or lost a loved one in a car, truck or motorcycle accident, you deserve to pursue the maximum value of your claim. You shouldn’t just be compensated for medical expenses and property damage. You should seek compensation for the income you lost because of the accident, and for the impact on your quality of life, as well as lost earning potential and other damages.

    Here’s how a lawyer from Marks & Harrison can help:

    • We will review your case;
    • We will help you determine fault;
    • We will estimate the value of your claim;
    • We will work with you closely to obtain a fair and just settlement;
    • Should your case go to trial, our lawyers will be at your side to protect your rights every step of the way.

    Most Common Injuries in Car Accidents

    So what kinds of injuries do car accidents cause?  A car accident victim have anything from minor cuts and lacerations to serious trauma to the spine, back, neck or head. Substantial injuries may lead to permanent disability, impairments, or death. Common injuries in car accidents include:

    • Cuts and Lacerations: Broken glass, flying debris and sharp metal are generally the cause of cuts and lacerations in a car accident. Permanent scaring is quite common in cases of lacerations. In some instances, when a cut is deep enough, cosmetic surgery may be required to attempt to reduce the appearance of severe scarring.
    • Fractures and Broken Bones: When individual’s body is slammed against the steering wheel, dash, side door, or seat in front, the impact can be severe enough to cause fractures or broken bones. Broken wrists, arms, legs, ankles, collarbones, and ribs are most common among car accident victims. Most fractures will heal without the need for extensive treatment. More substantial breaks may require surgery and long-term rehabilitation to attempt to regain full mobility.
    • Internal Injuries: Internal injuries may result when the impact of a collision forces a person’s body into a solid object such as the steering wheel, or an individual is impaled by a sharp piece of debris. Internal injuries can cause serious damage, and will require immediate medical intervention to halt bleeding. If internal bleeding cannot be stopped or damage is permanent, it death is often the tragic outcome.
    • Burn Injuries: Burn injuries are most often seen in car accidents in which the force of impact is enough to rupture a fuel line or gas tank, leading to an explosion or vehicle fire. In some instances, burn injuries can be sustained by coming in contact with parts of the vehicle which are extremely hot due to the vehicle’s operation. When smoke is inhaled, it can lead to inhalation burns, breathing difficulties, lung damage, or death. All burn injuries must be treated without delay to minimize the risk of permanent disability or disfigurement. In many cases, a full recovery is not possible.
    • Whiplash and Other Neck Injuries: When the force of impact in a vehicle collision results in the rapid jerking motion of a person’s head, it can lead to whiplash or other neck, shoulder or back injuries. Injuries to the neck are extremely painful, and can potentially cause the victim to lose sensation or become paralyzed. Other complications from whiplash may involve sleep deprivation or memory problems. Serious neck injuries, such as broken bones or excessive nerve damage can mean either paralysis or a life that is forever changed, or in the most tragic cases, loss of life.
    • Spine and Back Injuries: In cases where the impact of a collision is severe enough to fracture or dislocate vertebrae in a person’s back or tear tissue from the spinal cord, the outcome can be temporary or permanent paralysis. As the spinal cord allows communication to be transmitted from the brain to the rest of the body, spine and back injuries may lead to the disruption of such communication and thus a lack of function or mobility. Extreme cases can lead to permanent injury, in which the injured person will require a lifetime of care.
    • Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injury: Even a minor concussion or head trauma can cause many serious complications or cognitive impairments. When an individual head smashes into the steering wheel, dash or other vehicle part, it may cause swelling or bleeding in the skull cavity, putting pressure on the brain. Seeking immediate medical attention following head trauma in a car accident is essential, as there are many long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Recovery from a TBI may take a long period of rehabilitation to resolve, but when such injuries are not fatal, a full recovery can be possible. Many who suffer a TBI in a car accident face a lifetime of challenges, both physical and cognitive.

    Legal Representation for Richmond Car Accident Victims

    If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident in the Richmond area, you are advised to retain legal representation at once. Contact a Richmond car accident attorney from Marks & Harrison. Get your case assessed and get facts about the course of action you need to pursue.

    Our attorneys know how to establish fault in a vehicle accident. We have handled thousands of car accident injury cases. Call now for a free initial consultation that could save you thousands of dollars.

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