Common Car Crash Injuries
Getting into even a minor car crash where no one is injured is scary but when people are injured and there is significant property damage, it can be beyond traumatic for those involved as well as for those who witness it. There is a very wide range of the many different kinds of injuries and levels of severity of injuries. The following are some common injuries people sustain after a car crash.
Broken/Fractured
Some bones, such as fingers and ribs are fragile and can break from light to moderate impact while others such as the femur or the humorous are much stronger but can still break when an impact or pressure is strong enough. Broken bones take many weeks to months to heal and often need things such as surgery and physical therapy to fully or to recover as fully as the patient can.
Bruise
A bruise, also referred to as a contusion, is considered to be a skin injury due to trauma. Examples of trauma are a blow, intense pressure and a cut. A bruise is characterised by discoloration of the skin that is a result of when blood from damaged cells deep beneath the skin collects near the surface of the skin. These cells are tiny blood vessels called capillaries and when they burst, blood gets trapped beneath the surface. Bruises are often referred to as black and blue marks because the discoloration can appear to be black and/or blue but from the time of injury until the heal, bruises tend to turn into a wide range of colors and hues as the healing process begins. Bruises can be minor injuries but they can also be very serious, especially if they are on internal organs or bones.
Herniated Disk
A herniated disc occurs when one or more vertebrae in your spine either rupture or shift out of place. As people age and their disks become less flexible, they are more prone to tearing or rupturing from even minor strains and twists. These and serious strains and twists can occur in a car accident and the result can be a herniated disk in someone of any age.
Internal Bleeding
While people usually realize when they are bleeding from a cut or scrape, they do not always realize they are suffering from internal bleeding. Internal bleeding can be very serious when left untreated, even deadly
Knee Trauma
It is common for people sitting in the front seat to have their knees strike the dashboard from the impact of a crash. The damage from this can be anywhere from mild to serious enough to need surgery and/or physical therapy.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
When someone is involved in a traumatic event or witnesses one, it can cause PTSD. This can make things that used to be routine without problems, difficult for a person or even impossible to do. PTSD can become as debilitating as many physical injuries.
Scrapes and Cuts/Lacerations
Scrapes and cuts, also referred to as lacerations, can be anywhere from mild to severe. With severe scrapes such as road rash and deep cuts, the risk of infection can be high. Deep cuts can be very serious or life threatening if things such as arteries or organs are damaged.
Whiplash
Whiplash commonly occurs in car accidents because when there is an impact while riding in a car, your body is jerked or moved around much faster than you would naturally do on your own. Whiplash refers to injuries of muscles, ligaments and tendons in the neck.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
TBIs and other brain injuries typically cause immediate injuries and complications. Some people fully recover from TBIs but many people do not. Severe TBIs can affect a person’s physical abilities as well as their cognitive abilities.
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