Health & Fitness

What Injuries to Look Out for if You are in a Car Accident

With so many cars on the road in America it is a foregone conclusion that there will be many car accidents. These vehicles are fast and heavy complicated machines that need a long distance to slow down, and demand a driver’s full attention when being driven. With these factors always present and cars everywhere, accidents are bound to happen regularly, and they do by the millions.

When there are car accidents, the outcome often results I major injuries for the occupants of the vehicles or any pedestrian the car hits.  It is certainly true that most car accidents do not result in disastrous injury, but often occupants stroll or limp away from a car accident thinking they are only slightly injured, and then discover later that they are in fact seriously hurt.

It is important to understand the extent of the injuries that can happen in a car accident so you realize how important it is to seek medical attention and in the event you are in fact seriously injured, you contact a skilled personal injury attorney to represent you in a lawsuit against the driver who caused the accident. When you are looking for an attorney, you need to locate one local to where the accident has occurred to represent you. For example if the car accident occurred in Austin Texas, you need to hire a reputable and skilled Austin personal injury attorney who specializes in car accident cases.

Here are a list of the most likely injuries you will suffer in a car accident. Many can be quite serious and all need immediate medical attention.

Broken and Bruised Bones

These are common in car accidents because bones do not give when they strike something else hard. They also do not twist so if the person is pushed wrong way especially at high speed, a bone can break, or be seriously bruised. Common broken bones are arms and ribs which can be caused by the fast deceleration that typically occurs in an accident.

Internal Injuries

Internal injuries are nearly impossible to judge by sight and can often be much worse than they feel or appear. These include injuries to the liver, lungs, spleen and heart and are common in in vehicle accidents where the vehicle decelerates quickly or there is a strong impact. Broken ribs can also puncture lungs which can be a very serious internal injury. The thing to remember is that these types of injuries can cause only a small amount of discomfort. A full medical exam is need to determine their extent and this means getting a hospital if you feel any internal discomfort after an accident.

Dislocations

The sudden and violent stopping of a moving vehicle can cause a separation in the joints where bones meet. These dislocations can be quite painful and depending on the severity can take months to heal.  Depending on the amount of trauma the dislocation may be partial or total and they can also cause damage to the surrounding nerves, muscles, tendons and ligaments. The most serious dislocation occurs in the spine which could jeopardize the person’s ability to walk.

Whiplash

Whiplash is an injury to the neck that occurs when the head is jerked violently forward in a car accident. It can damage the neck muscles, tendons, nerves and even bones depending on its severity. Whiplash is a type of soft tissue injury that an also happen with any muscle, tendon or ligament that gets torn, sprained, or stretched. The nature of these types of injuries mean that they will take months to heal.

Since it is impossible for you to determine the extent of your injuries after a car accident, you should go to an emergency room and get examined if you suspect that you might be even slightly injured. What appears to be slight might need immediate medical attention.

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