What Types of Injuries Happen in Car Accidents in Washington?
Seattle Car Accident Injuries: From Minor to Catastrophic
Accident-related injuries are no joking matter.
Considering that two million Americans sustain injuries in traffic collisions across the country yearly and that, across the United States, officials report that car accident injuries total about $18 billion in lifetime medical costs, it is clear that victims are often left seriously injured. But what kind of injuries most car accident victims experience?
A non-serious accident, otherwise known as a “fender bender,” might result in nothing more than a day off work. However, a serious traffic collision can lead to hospitalization and moderate-to-serious injuries that require continuing treatment or therapy for an extended period of time. In many cases, victims require treatment for life.
While some accident-related injuries are readily apparent, others can take hours and sometimes even days to manifest. For that and many other reasons, if you have been involved in a vehicular accident in Seattle, any personal injury attorney will tell you that it’s imperative to immediately seek medical attention.
Those who are involved in auto crashes may also suffer injuries to the internal organs as well as to the upper and lower limbs. In many cases, victims also suffer deeply troubling psychological trauma, which cannot be ignored.
Considering that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that Americans spend more than a million days in the hospital from auto crash-related injuries each year, you might be wondering about what are some of the injuries most typically seen in vehicular incidents.
Most Common Car Accident Injuries in Washington & the US:
1. Head Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries sustained in a car crash can lead to temporary or lifelong impairment of brain function. Skull fractures, swelling of the brain, and nerve damage are all related to head or brain injuries. Such injuries may cause health-related trouble that might last many years and even a lifetime.
2. Neck Injuries
The most common type of neck injury is “whiplash,” which is trauma to the soft tissues of the neck resulting in impaired movement. Although generally temporary, whiplash can become a permanent condition requiring physical and rehabilitative therapy. Other common types of neck injuries include neck sprain, neck strain, pinched nerves, and herniated discs.
3. Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can be severe and result in different levels of paralysis and also affect the internal organs. This class of injuries can be catastrophic, causing quadriplegia or paraplegia. But partial damage may also occur, and while the injury might not be as severe it might also lead to long-term problems.
Victims of spinal cord injuries caused by accidents often suffer loss of motor function and sensation, resulting in a dramatic alteration of life function. Spinal cord injuries can also adversely affect bowel and bladder functioning, sexual functioning, blood pressure, and body temperature. Most victims suffer chronic or permanent pain.
These types of injuries typically expose victims to long-term medical care needs that will require treatment and incur extremely high medical bills.
4. Back Injuries
Back injuries may include herniations or disc bulges, fractures, pinched nerves and other conditions that result in significant pain requiring extended treatment and therapy. These injuries might require years of treatment and care. Victims often require help with their daily tasks and some are even forbidden from taking part in activities they used to take part in prior to their accidents.
5. Broken Bones or Fractures
Broken bones sustained in auto accidents are often more serious than those caused by a fall, and are more likely to require surgery, possibly reconstructive in nature. In many cases, victims require long-term care and might even lose mobility in some limbs as a result of serious fractures.
6. Internal Organs
Damage to internal organs is one of the more serious and potentially fatal consequences of being involved in a car accident. Crashes often result in trauma to the kidneys, spleen, liver, lungs or heart. Fractured ribs frequently puncture the internal organs leading to the need for surgery and hospitalization.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, please remember that you may seek compensation to cover medical expenses, loss of earnings, and other costs relating to hospitalization, medication, surgeries, and continuing treatment and therapy expenses.
7. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Auto accidents often affect the person’s physical integrity, but the stress and the trauma often associated with these extraordinary events also add to the victim’s burden. As any personal injury attorney will tell you, most victims of car accidents caused by third parties are often affected by psychological trauma and are, in many cases, diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
People who suffer from PTSD will often experience symptoms that might include depression, insomnia, anxiety, nightmares, and others. Due to the emotional and mental distress, victims might feel like they must withdrawn from the world around them. In such cases, patients will also suffer greatly as they try to deal with their case, keep up with work, and stay afloat by seeking professional help.
Were You Injured in a Car Accident In Washington?
Contact one of the best lawyers for car accidents with the Bernard Law Group to find out more information about your options and legal rights.
