When a ton of metal, glass, and plastic collides with another ton of metal, glass, and plastic, someone is bound to get hurt.
Over three million people sustain injuries in car accidents every year. And while car accidents are unfortunately a fairly common occurrence, that doesn’t mean it’s any less traumatic when it happens to you.
Here’s everything you need to know about a few of the most common types of auto accident injuries.
Whiplash
The most common car accident-related injury is whiplash. Even if you walk away from a car accident without a scratch, any situation that includes a sudden stop can result in some degree of whiplash.
While whiplash can be more of a nuisance than anything, it can still cause some pretty significant neck and back pain that can interfere with your life.
Broken Ribs
When you’re in a car accident, your midsection tends to take the brunt of the impact. While the steering wheel and airbags can cause some damage, the main culprit of chest injury during a collision is one of the most critical safety features in your car: your seatbelt.
While your seatbelt can save you from being thrown around your car or even being fully ejected from the vehicle, in doing its job, it can bruise or even break a few ribs. Although broken ribs are less dangerous than going through a windshield, they can still be highly painful.
Concussion
Head injuries are deceptively dangerous because while you may look and feel fine in the moments right after the accident, you could wind up in the hospital a few hours later. If you knock your head against the side of your car, the roof, or even the steering wheel during an accident, there’s a chance you sustained a concussion and should seek medical assistance as soon as possible.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to go through something as traumatic as a war to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. Any extremely stressful situation can lead to the development of PTSD. These kinds of incidents include getting assaulted, getting fired, and *getting into a car accident.
While PTSD may not show any physical symptoms, it can still wreak havoc on your life by making driving or even being a passager in a car nearly impossible, which can be devastating to those who rely on driving or commuting for their livelihood.
Cuts and Bruises
Finally, the most common injuries you can sustain during a car accident are cuts and bruises. While not as dramatic or taxing as a broken bone, bruises and scrapes can still be very painful, which can interfere with your life post-accident.
On top of that, while cuts and bruises aren’t a big deal for most people, they can be surprisingly dangerous for people with certain underlying conditions like hemophilia or even diabetes.
No matter how severe your injuries are, if you were in a car accident and were not at fault, you deserve compensation. Visit SweetLaw.com for more information.
The Most Common Auto Accident Injuries
Now that you know more about a few of the most common auto accident injuries, you’ll be able to better prepare yourself just in case you’re ever in an accident yourself.
Are you looking for more advice on what to do after a car accident? We’ve got you covered. Check out the rest of our blog for more helpful articles today!
