Car Accident Injury Types
Injuries suffered in car accidents can range from mild to fatal, but sometimes even a seemingly minor fender-bender can result in life-altering injuries that impact every aspect of a person’s life.
After any car accident, it is important to seek immediate medical attention and continue to be on the lookout for any problems that develop in the time following the accident. All too often, injuries that do not seem serious at the scene of an accident can worsen in the days and weeks following the incident.
If you or a loved one has sustained injuries in a car accident, let West Virginia auto accident attorney Jim Leach help you navigate the potential minefield of dealing with insurance companies and other parties. Jim has years of experience helping car accident victims get the compensation they deserve for injuries suffered in car accidents. Whether in the courtroom or in the conference room, Jim Leach Attorneys at Law can help you get the results you want.
Types of Serious Injuries from Car Accidents
Car wrecks are a traumatic experience, regardless of the severity of the accident, and can lead to serious physical and mental injuries. Car accident survivors may have symptoms and problems that take days or weeks to become apparent, so it is important to continue to get medical care and pay attention to how you are feeling in the days and weeks following the crash.
There are a vast number of injuries that are possible in a car accident. Many car crash injuries fall into the following categories:
- Head and brain injuries – Drivers and passengers in a wreck can hit their head against windows, windshields, airbags, steering wheels and other objects and structures on impact. This can result in surface injuries as well as bleeding and traumatic brain injuries. Brain injuries may not be immediately apparent and should be watched for in the weeks following the accident.
- Neck injuries – Whiplash is the most common type of car accident injury. Severe whiplash can lead to injury of your neck vertebrae, joints, discs, ligaments, nerves, and muscles.
- Back injuries – Back injuries can include upper or lower back pain, reduced range of motion, herniated discs, and changes in your ability to lift things or engage in your normal activities. Serious back injuries often result in lifelong medical treatment and ongoing care.
- Spinal cord injuries – Spinal cord injuries can lead to changes in sensation of body parts, muscle weakness, pain, reduced control over limbs and extremities, paralysis, paraplegia, and quadriplegia (tetraplegia), among other things.
- Burn injuries and scarring – If a car catches on fire during an accident, those inside the vehicle can suffer severe burn injuries that could lead to life-threatening injuries, painful recovery, and extreme scarring and disfigurement.
- Joint injuries and broken bones – Dislocations, bone fractures, and broken bones can easily occur during a serious car accident. These injuries require prompt medical attention and follow-up, and sometimes surgery and other long-term medical treatment.
Getting Proper Medical Treatment after a West Virginia Car Crash
When seeking medical treatment after a car accident, be aware that you may not immediately notice all the injuries that you may have suffered. The trauma of a crash often causes an adrenaline rush that masks symptoms of serious injuries. The impact generally involved in a car accident takes a big toll on your body. Even a minor accident may cause brain, spinal, internal or other injuries, with effects that are not immediately apparent.
Even if you do not believe you have any injuries, schedule a full examination with qualified medical personnel. They can perform a physical examination to check for any injuries as well as a neurological evaluation to check for brain or spinal injuries. Medical personnel will tell you about signs and symptoms of injuries to continue to look for during the weeks following the accident in addition to offering immediate care for your injuries.
Watching for Symptoms of Other Problems: WV Car Accident Lawyer
The weeks following the accident are an important time to pay attention to your health. You may notice a symptom only weeks after the accident, so it is important to be on the lookout. Traumatic brain injury and whiplash are two injuries that often do not show symptoms until weeks or months after the accident occurred.
Be sure to contact your medical doctor again for a follow-up exam and treatment if you notice any of the following potential signs of whiplash or brain injury:
- Headaches. This is one of the most common symptoms of whiplash. The headaches are usually a result of injury to the muscles and ligaments of the back and neck rather than a sign of brain injury.
- Neck pain. Damages to the muscles and ligaments in the neck and back may lead to abnormal motion and range of motion as they heal. This may be painful in the beginning and improve as the muscles and ligaments heal.
- Changes in behavior and sensation. A brain injury can cause changes in mood, depression, confusion, sleeplessness, forgetfulness, lack of focus, and loss of sex drive, as well as changes in sensation and perception, like vision, touch, taste and smell.
- Dizziness. Whiplash may cause occasional dizziness as a result of the injury to the facet joints of the spine.
When West Virginia Car Accident Injuries Cause Long-Term Disabilities
A number of those who sustain injuries related to a car accident continue to suffer from physical and mental problems for years after the crash. Because of the nature of spinal and brain injuries, in particular, healing may be a long process that requires several different approaches — medication, physical therapy, exercises, etc. — in order to manage pain, flexibility, and issues of sensation. All of this can be quite expensive, especially at a time when a victim is unable to work due to crash-related impairments.
Contact our Auto Injury Lawyer Today
Serious car accident injuries can be financially and physically devastating, leading to exorbitant medical expenses, loss of income, rehabilitation, and long-term care. Most settlements that are offered to accident victims by insurance companies do too little to cover the financial hardship that they face. When car accidents are caused by the negligence of another person, that person can and should be held responsible for your damages.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident in West Virginia or Ohio, please contact experienced personal injury attorney Jim Leach today to schedule a free initial consultation. Jim has been serving the good people in Parkersburg and surrounding communities for years. He is a serious car accident lawyer who gets serious results.