5 of the Most Common Car Accident Injuries

Car accidents are one of the major causes of injuries in the United States. According to the National Safety Council, over 40,000 were killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2017. This almost mirrors the number of fatalities in 2016, and is 6% higher than the number of deaths in 2015. As well, in 2017, nearly 4.6 million people were seriously injured enough to necessitate medical attention.

Some of the most common injuries people sustain in car accidents are injuries to the:

• Face. In many car accidents, the first element to break is the windshield. When this occurs, the faces of the driver and passengers may sustain serious injury as they are thrust forward into the glass. Passengers can also be propelled forward into the steering wheel, dashboard, or airbag. The injuries sustained often include lacerations, deep cuts, broken facial bones, punctured eyes, and jaw fractures.
• Neck. When the vehicle impacts suddenly or is jarred from the back or side, occupants of the vehicle can easily sustain a neck injury. The sudden movements can cause the driver’s or passengers’ head to snap back, forward, or sideways, placing untenable forces on the neck muscles and ligaments. These severe movements can lead to deep tissue injuries and an extension of the spine. Whiplash can damage the ligaments, vertebrae, spinal cord, discs, and back.
• Chest. The crushing nature of many car crash injuries can result in broken ribs or sternum. In more severe cases collapsed lungs are the result. A victim may suffer cardiac arrest if he or she has a pre-existing heart condition. Crushing injuries to the chest often occur when the driver is not wearing a seatbelt, or the airbags fail to deploy during impact.
• Arms and legs. The same forces that propel the vehicle occupant’s head or chest against an object during a crash also have the same effect on the limbs. Passengers have limited space for movement and a sudden collision can force a driver’s or passenger’s legs and knees to impact solid objects within the car, such as the doors and dashboard, leading to serious injuries such as broken bones and damaged ligaments.
• Head and brain. Probably some of the most significant injuries that can occur to a car crash victim are head and brain injuries. A blunt force impact or sharp intrusion into the head can cause significant brain damage, referred to as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). This type of head injury can involve something as minor as a small concussion to a severe TBI. The recovery time for more minor head injuries can take a couple of weeks. However, in the most severe TBI cases, the individual can sustain severe damage to his or her critical functions for life, such as vision, speech, memory, and concentration.

At the premier personal injury law firm of Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A., we are here to fight for the compensation you deserve in the aftermath of a car accident injury caused by another party. To set up a free consultation with an experienced Maryland auto accident lawyer from our team, call us today at 410-730-7737 or use our contact form to send us a request.

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