Common vehicle accident injuries

It is estimated that around 3 million injuries occur from vehicle accidents yearly with 2 million drivers having permanent injuries. Injuries from vehicles accidents range from mild to serious, which need prolonged treatment or surgery. Drivers in Denver, Colorado, should be aware of some common injuries after a vehicle crash.

Whiplash

Whiplash is a common injury after motor vehicle accidents that causes the neck to jerk violently. The jerking motion causes the neck muscles to get out of alignment, which may cause severe neck pain and soreness.

Some other common symptoms include headaches, shoulder pain, arm and hand pain or numbness, ringing in the ears, blurred vision, and dizziness. However, these symptoms could be delayed for several days because the body releases adrenalin to disguise symptoms.

Traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury causes damage to the brain from the head hitting a hard surface, pushing it against the skull. An example of a mild TBI is a concussion, which may cause, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, grogginess, and light sensitivity.

Sometimes, concussions cause loss of consciousness occurs, but it doesn’t have to be present, and it should only last a few minutes if it occurs. A more serious TBI is a diffuse axonal injury, which occurs from the force of the accident shifting the brain inside the skull.

Spinal injuries

A common type of spinal injury is a herniated disc caused by the soft discs between vertebra pushing through the spine from injury. A herniated disc may cause pain when moving a certain way, pain when sneezing, tingling, burning, and radiating leg or foot pain.

Sometimes, vehicle accidents cause burst fractures, which cause the vertebrae to break in several places, which may cause paralysis. A compression fracture occurs when the front of the spine breaks, but the back vertebrae stay intact, such as from seat belts.

Injured drivers should seek medical care immediately to heal properly and to get the most compensation from settlements. Delaying treatment makes the injury look less serious to the at-fault party’s insurance.

Category:

• Car Accidents