( 300+)Car accidents may result in a large range of injuries. Medical costs and expenses are one of the largest categories of damages, so it is extremely important you have the assistance of an experienced Greenville car accident lawyer.
At Elliott Frazier – Family, Personal Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, LLC, we know how to make the strongest possible case to obtain the compensation you deserve. Find out why so many Greenville, SC, car accident victims choose us to resolve their personal injury claims and fight for compensation by contacting our office today.
Common Injuries From a Car Accident
If you have been in a car wreck, even if you think you haven’t been injured or weren’t hurt too badly, you need to see a physician, so you don’t risk your health and well-being.
Below are some of the most common car accident injuries:
Broken Bones
Broken bones from a car accident are relatively common, but these injuries may result in significant disruption to one’s life. More severe injuries such as compound fractures may require surgery. Even more minor fractures requiring a cast may make daily activities, including caring for your family, work, or other tasks more difficult.
Types of breaks and fractures include the following:
- Stress/hairline fracture: Results from a small crack in the bone that could go unnoticed for a long time.
- Transverse fracture: The break runs straight across the bone.
- Greenstick fracture: An incomplete fracture in which one side of the bone bends while the other breaks.
- Comminuted fracture: Occurs when the bone breaks into several pieces.
Whiplash
Whiplash is an injury caused by the neck moving back-and-forth rapidly, which is very common in car accidents. Whiplash often impacts soft tissue in the neck, but whiplash may also injure the spine, spinal discs, joints, and ligaments. Whiplash can damage the entire neck region and (in some cases) arteries, eyes, and the head and brain.
The quick and forceful movement of the head and neck area, plus sudden overstretching, can damage other parts of the body other than just the neck.
A victim with whiplash from a car accident may experience:
- Neck pain, tenderness, and stiffness
- Limited neck movement
- Swelling and muscle spasms in the neck
- Shoulder, back, and arm pain
- Headaches
- Jaw pain
- Ear ringing
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries may result when there is a direct injury to the spinal cord or damage to the bones (vertebrae) and tissue surrounding it. Spinal cord injuries are usually incomplete or complete, depending on whether the victim retains sensory perception, feeling, and ability to control movement below the point of injury.
The victim may have quadriplegia (paralysis affecting all four limbs and most of the body) or paraplegia (paralysis in the legs and lower body).
Beware of the following signs:
- Numbness, tingling, changes in, or loss of sensation in the extremities
- Paralysis that is immediate or that gradually develops
- Pressure or pain in the head, neck, or back
- Unnatural positions of the head or spine
- Difficulty with or loss of movement, including walking
- Weakness
- Trouble breathing
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Sexual dysfunction
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A TBI is more than an injury to the head. TBI is a significant disruption in the normal activity and functioning of the brain, resulting from major physical trauma.
TBI symptoms are not always immediately evident and could manifest in days to months. In some cases, symptoms initially appear minor but worsen with additional time .
You or a loved one may have a TBI from a car accident if any of the following are present:
- Severe, recurring headaches
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Trouble concentrating
- Slurred speech
- Chronic pain
- Personality changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
Internal Bleeding
In some car accidents, internal bleeding may result. Internal bleeding may be very dangerous because it is both deadly and difficult to detect. Internal bleeding may also indicate significant damage to an organ that could be life-threatening. If any of the following appear, see a doctor immediately:
- Dark purple skin
- Swelling
- Severe headaches or migraines
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Stomach pain
- Seizures
Emotional and Mental Trauma
Emotional and mental trauma are some of the most common car accident injuries — and often the most misunderstood.
Because of the shock and horror that often accompany automobile wrecks, victims may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, behavioral changes, and much more. Any trauma resulting from a car accident could cause loss of sleep, nightmares, insomnia, lost work productivity, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
What Kinds of Injury Compensation Can You Get From a Car Accident?
The above are a few of the most common auto accident injuries, but there are many more. Victims may seek past, present, and future medical bills to cover ambulance care, emergency medical surgery, hospitalization, and prescription medication. Compensation for temporary and total disability is also possible, with victims requiring adaptive medical equipment or physical therapy. Counseling or treatment may be needed to deal with emotional and mental injuries.
Lost time from work is likely when the victim recovers and attends medical appointments. If the victim’s work is based on physical labor, a car accident could spell the end of a once-promising career and the benefits that went with it. Regardless of which industry the victim works, they may experience lost income-earning capacity, which may also be compensated.
If You Suffered an Injury in a Car Accident, Act Now
If you’ve suffered any of the above most common car accident injuries, there is a limited period of time to seek damages. Waiting too long risks losing evidence and running up against the statute of limitations, which, in South Carolina, is three years after the accident. Going past that point in time will forever bar you from seeking recovery. Elliott Frazier – Family, Personal Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, LLC, can help.
To get started now with your claim, contact us to speak with a car accident lawyer in Greenville.
