(150+)With nearly 4 million licensed drivers in South Carolina, accidents are bound to happen. While many of these crashes are minor fender benders that do not result in serious injuries, others are extremely serious and cause injuries that remain with accident victims for the rest of their lives. A car accident can cause many different types of injuries, but some are more common than others.
Below, our Greenville car accident lawyer explains the common injuries from car accidents.
Scrapes and Lacerations
Scrapes and lacerations, more commonly referred to as cuts, are some of the most minor injuries one could sustain in a car accident.
These injuries are often caused by objects inside the vehicle or debris from the accident. Glass, plastic, and metal can all present a risk of causing scrapes and lacerations in a car accident, even when one happens at low speeds.
Even minor cuts and scrapes can become infected, resulting in a serious secondary injury. Scrapes and lacerations can also be quite severe, requiring surgery or stitches to treat them. Although the majority of lacerations and scrapes will heal over time, others can result in severe scarring and long-term health problems.
Broken Bones
Known as ‘fractures’ in medical terms, broken bones are relatively common in minor and serious car accidents in Greenville. The nature and severity of broken bones will vary, depending on the amount of force, weight, and speed involved in the accident. Treating broken bones is done using casts or surgery. The type of treatment will depend on the severity of the injury.
Regardless of the prognosis for a broken bone, this type of car accident injury will result in a significant amount of pain and disruption to the accident victim’s life. Injured individuals should limit their activities as necessary and follow all doctor’s orders. Keeping a pain journal can also help you keep track of the pain you feel as you recover, as well as the activities the injuries prevent you from experiencing. A pain journal can also be used as evidence when filing your claim.
Brain Injuries
Car accidents cause many different types of head injuries. One of the most common of these are concussions. Concussions are caused by the brain hitting the walls of the skull. Hearing and vision problems, mild confusion, and headaches are some of the mildest symptoms of a concussion. Serious symptoms can include insomnia, blurred vision, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating.
People suffering from concussions often speak of experiencing ‘brain fog’.
Contusions are another type of brain injury. Essentially, a contusion is a bruise on the brain. Many contusions will heal on their own but when they do not, it can lead to a hematoma, which typically requires surgery to correct.
One of the most serious types of brain injuries are diffuse axonal injuries. This occurs when the brain is twisted or shaken inside of the skull. The cerebral tissues slide back and forth as the brain twists, until the connecting fibers in the skull tear. When those fibers are torn, it interferes with the message sent by the neurons, which results in a loss of function.
Whiplash
Many people think whiplash is a very minor car accident injury, likely because it is one of the most common. Whiplash occurs when the neck snaps back and forth in a rapid and sudden manner. The most common symptoms of whiplash include neck pain, fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and tenderness in the shoulders and upper back. Whiplash does not always present symptoms right away, so it is critical that you seek medical attention after any crash. A doctor can examine you and identify all potential injuries.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Of all the common car accident injuries, those affecting the spinal cord often have the longest-lasting impacts on victims. Some of the most common injuries to the spinal cord and the vertebrae that make it up include:
- Fractures
- Sprains
- Ruptured discs
- Lumbar spine injuries
- Bulging or compressed discs
- Partial or complete paralysis
While spinal cord injuries are some of the most serious sustained in car accidents, they also do not always present symptoms right away.
Sometimes, it is not until days later that victims start to feel numbness, tingling, pain, and an inability to move certain appendages. For this reason, it is critical that you seek medical attention immediately following any car accident. Your health and wellness is of the utmost importance after a crash. Seeking medical treatment can identify all of your injuries and provide treatment for them, which can mitigate the impact of them.
Facial Injuries
It is not uncommon for drivers to strike the steering wheel with their face during a crash.
Passengers may also hit their face on any part of the vehicle’s interior, which can cause serious facial injuries. As the airbags are deployed during a crash, this can also result in serious facial injuries such as burns and cuts. The most serious facial injuries can cause permanent scarring and disfigurement. When certain parts of the face, such as the nose or jaw are broken, it can lead to a long and painful recovery period.
Psychological Injuries
Not all car accident injuries are physical. Car crashes are very traumatic and they can leave victims with serious psychological injuries. In the weeks, months, and sometimes even years after a crash, people may experience anxiety, depression, and even guilt. Some people will fear getting into a vehicle, or they may even experience flashbacks of the crash.
Our Car Accident Lawyer in Greenville Can Help After Injury
There are many common injuries from car accidents and they all have the potential to be very serious. At Elliott Frazier, our Greenville car accident lawyer can help you understand the nature and severity of your injuries and will hold the liable party accountable so you obtain the fair outcome you are entitled to. Elliott Frazier Law was built on the belief that no one should have to face powerful corporations, negligent parties, or life-altering legal battles alone. Contact us to schedule a consultation with our experienced attorney and to learn more about how we can help with your case.
