A car crash can cause severe and lasting damage to your body as well as to your vehicle. Lafayette Parish has seen over 1,500 accidents this year on the road leading to over 25,000 injuries. Sadly, at least 10 people have died on the roads as a result of these accidents. If you’re unlucky enough to be in an accident, you could face the following injuries, and the costs needed to care for them.
Deep Cuts, Contusions, and Lacerations
While some minor cuts and bruises could happen in an accident, more serious cuts, contusions, and lacerations are more painful and may require serious medical attention. A deep cut can hit an artery and may lead to death. A laceration may do the same but tends to be made by a sharp, jagged object, leading to extreme pain and potential long-term scarring. A contusion is a large bruise that can take weeks or even months to properly heal.
Whiplash
Whiplash is named for the violent, whip-like back-and-forth motion a body is subjected to during a collision. The motion places immense stress on the body’s ligaments, which connect bone to bone, and tendons, which connect muscles to the bone. This can lead to permanent damage and chronic pain, lowering the victim’s quality of life and earning potential. If you’ve suffered from whiplash, speaking with an experienced personal injury lawyer could help you obtain compensation for your car accident injuries.
Neck and Back Injuries
The same violent force that causes whiplash also leads to neck and back injuries for many car crash victims. The sudden back and forth, or even side-to-side motion of whiplash places enormous stress on the neck and back muscles. The spinal column can also be damaged as the motion is sudden, forceful, and unnatural. These injuries can be permanent and may lead to long-term pain or even whole or partial paralysis.
Concussions
A concussion is one of the most dangerous types of injury that someone can face in a car accident. A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when the head suddenly moves in a back-and-forth motion, causing the brain to hit the skull. Common signs of a concussion include the following:
- Confusion
- Slurred speech
- Vomiting
- Delayed reactions
- Forgetfulness
If you, a passenger, or another person involved in an accident are exhibiting these behaviors, are behaving unnaturally, or feeling unwell, it’s important to take precautions. A concussion can lead to death in severe cases and may happen hours or days after an accident when all seems well.
Broken Bones
Car crashes involve tremendous amounts of force, and they can often lead to broken bones. The bones in the leg, as well as the pelvis, are some of the most common broken bones in a car accident. However, skull injuries are also common and often come from people’s faces hitting the steering wheel or windshield.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Some of the worst injuries from a car accident don’t leave any scars. Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, can lead to lasting mental trauma. You may require therapy to overcome it, which can be costly. You may also miss other opportunities as a result of your PTSD, which can lead to a lower quality of life and lower lifetime earnings.
If you’ve suffered from injuries after a car accident, you could face a long road to recovery and expensive medical bills. You may wish to speak with a personal injury attorney who can help you recoup some of the costs and obtain compensation. A lawyer who specializes in these cases can help you get the maximum amount of compensation you’re entitled to while avoiding many of the challenges you could face were you to try to get it on your own. Ultimately, they can help to speed your financial recovery after an accident.
