Suffering injuries during an automobile accident can cause victims to feel overwhelmed, alone, and shocked. Not only do many individuals suffer physical injuries, but they also suffer psychological harm as the result of being involved in an automobile accident. Unfortunately, many people need to engage in both physical therapy and mental health counseling to heal from their injuries.
However, it is important to learn about some of the most common injuries victims suffer during automobile accidents. By acquiring knowledge about these injuries, we can better prepare ourselves for possible dangers we may encounter while driving. The more information we have about avoiding car crashes, the more we can try to avoid, prevent, or mitigate serious bodily injury.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Sometimes the body is twisted and contorted during a car accident. Unfortunately, some victims suffer spinal cord injuries and must undergo multiple surgeries in an attempt to regain their physical strength. Depending on the nature and severity of the spinal cord injury, a victim may become a quadriplegic or a paraplegic. The psychological toll these injuries have on men, women, and children can cause depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Whiplash
Individuals may move violently back and forth inside a vehicle when they are involved in an automobile accident. The vertebrae may also be damaged during whiplash. Also, in severe cases of whiplash, the victim can suffer fractured vertebrae which may cause temporary or permanent disability.
Some of the most typical consequences of whiplash include neck pain, injured tendons, and damaged muscles. It is imperative that all car accident victims who experience symptoms of whiplash seek medical treatment as soon as possible. It is sometimes necessary for victims to undergo surgery to treat their whiplash injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries occur across a wide spectrum, and sometimes roadway accident victims may not realize they have suffered an injury that can affect them physically and emotionally. Acute head injury is a medical term which may indicate that a patient has suffered a traumatic brain injury. Automobile accidents may cause drivers and passengers to strike their heads against objects inside of a vehicle. If this occurs, then a traumatic brain injury may arise and produce symptoms during the minutes, days, and weeks after a wreck.
Sometimes traumatic brain injuries cause victims to experience memory loss, emotional dysregulation, and depression. Unfortunately, some victims who experience traumatic brain injuries commit suicide due to the volatile mood changes associated with these serious medical conditions. Medical treatment is essential for dealing with all types of traumatic brain injuries.
Fractured Ribs
Fractured ribs are common during auto accidents because both drivers and passengers are vulnerable to striking objects with their torsos. Gear shifts, radios, and steering wheels may rub against the ribcage and fracture individual ribs.
Many vital organs lie behind the ribs, and these can sometimes be punctured by fractured ribs during a car accident. It is necessary to remain still after suffering injuries during a collision. Insurance companies will argue that you caused your own injuries, and you want to make sure that you do everything within your power to establish that the accident and the adverse driver were the cause of your injuries.
Depression and Anxiety
Although they do not constitute physical injuries, depression and anxiety can produce physical symptoms in those who suffer from these conditions. Survivors of automobile accidents often must deal with the trauma of getting comfortable being inside a moving vehicle after they recover from their physical injuries. However, individuals need unique resources tailored to their own medical histories to overcome depression and anxiety.
It is often the case that individuals who experience depression and anxiety suffer from weight fluctuations, an impending sense of doom, and extreme fatigue. Some individuals who suffer from depression will spend too much time sleeping or too little time sleeping. These disturbances may cause neurological issues that exacerbate symptoms of depression and anxiety.
Sometimes automobile accident survivors are afraid to be anywhere near an automobile after surviving an accident. However, it can be beneficial for accident victims to overcome their fears and attempt to use the tools available to them to heal from their trauma. Those who suffer from extreme anxiety may be unable to perform their job duties or care for themselves. Those who survive automobile accidents may have to attend counseling sessions to learn how to cope with the symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder. Unfortunately, those victims who do not seek mental health treatment may take longer to recover from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. Sometimes victims also attempt to downplay their symptoms, and it is necessary to seek out all forms of help when any person is dealing with depression and anxiety.
Lacerations
Automobile accidents often cause victims to suffer lacerations. Excessive blood loss can lead to serious medical problems and loss of life. Many car accident victims lose consciousness and do not realize they suffered a severe laceration. First responders and emergency personnel must ensure that victims do not suffer severe blood loss at the accident scene.
Lacerations may sever arteries and veins, which are capable of causing serious bodily injury or death. It is necessary to focus on recovering from these injuries before you begin asserting your legal claims against the defendant. Accident victims may also experience dizziness and confusion at the accident scene due to blood loss. If this is the case, the victims should be transported to the hospital immediately for medical treatment.
Contact Farah Law Today If You Suffered Injuries During an Automobile Accident
By retaining the car accident attorneys at Farah Law, you can demonstrate to opposing counsel and insurance companies that you are serious about enforcing your legal rights. We understand how important it is for clients to feel valued. We will engage in settlement negotiations and mediation while attempting to obtain financial compensation for your injuries. If we don’t feel you are being offered everything you deserve, we are always ready to take your case to trial.
You do not have to stand up to insurance companies alone. We are able to help you with every aspect of your personal injury case. Contact us today for a free consultation to learn more about our experience representing clients in automobile accident cases in Texas and New Mexico.
