After an automobile accident, you might be injured and not even know it.
Even in a minor car accident, you can sustain injuries that have lasting effects if not treated quickly. Here are a few common car accident injuries and their symptoms.
1. Concussion
Common in many auto accidents, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TMI) usually caused by your head jolting or even slamming into the car. In the video below, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how violent movement effects the brain inside our skull.
Common in many auto accidents, a concussion is a traumatic brain injury (TMI) usually caused by your head jolting or even slamming into the car. In the video below, Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains how violent movement effects the brain inside our skull.
So the brain is not only moving back and forth but is also elongating. That violent movement can cause some pretty uncomfortable symptoms, including:
- Headache
- Nausea
- Dizziness and seeing stars
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Ringing in the ears or hollow hearing
- Memory loss
These symptoms can be mild at first. It may even take some time for the more severe symptoms to set in, but the concussion has been there the whole time and causing damage.
2. Whiplash
With about a million treatments and $8.8 billion in insurance claims each year, whiplash is is most commonly caused by rear-end collisions. When your neck rapidly snaps back and forth, your muscles and tendons pay a hefty price. Immediate symptoms might not seem too bad, but within 24 hours of the accident things will usually start to get painful. Symptoms of whiplash include:
People usually feel relief after a few weeks of treatment, exercise, and medication. But get help fast to prevent chronic or long-lasting complications.
With about a million treatments and $8.8 billion in insurance claims each year, whiplash is is most commonly caused by rear-end collisions. When your neck rapidly snaps back and forth, your muscles and tendons pay a hefty price. Immediate symptoms might not seem too bad, but within 24 hours of the accident things will usually start to get painful. Symptoms of whiplash include:
- Sore shoulders, arms, or jaw muscles
- Neck and back pain
- Stiffness
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Numbness or tingling in the arms
- Headaches starting at the base of the skull
People usually feel relief after a few weeks of treatment, exercise, and medication. But get help fast to prevent chronic or long-lasting complications.
3. Broken or Fractured Bones
From your wrist to your ankle, there are a lot of bones to break. Your ribs are in front of the stearing wheel. Your legs are under the dashboard. Your hands are in front of the wind shield. Depending on where and how hard you're hit, the damage to your body can of course range from minor to severe.
Common areas for fractures and broken bones include:
After an accident if you see swelling, bruising, a deformed appearance, or a bone poking through the skin - or if none of these symptoms are apparent but you're in extreme pain - seek immediate medical attention. The damage could be internal and not yet visible.
From your wrist to your ankle, there are a lot of bones to break. Your ribs are in front of the stearing wheel. Your legs are under the dashboard. Your hands are in front of the wind shield. Depending on where and how hard you're hit, the damage to your body can of course range from minor to severe.
Common areas for fractures and broken bones include:
- Spinal Vertebrae of the Neck or Back: These injuries are most common in rear-end accidents and head-on collisions.
- Sternum & Ribs: Broken Ribs are usually a result of your body compressing itself against the seatbelt or the steering wheel.
- Face: Broken or fractured cheek bones, nose, jaw, or orbital bones are common when your face meets the airbag, dashboard, or steering wheel.
After an accident if you see swelling, bruising, a deformed appearance, or a bone poking through the skin - or if none of these symptoms are apparent but you're in extreme pain - seek immediate medical attention. The damage could be internal and not yet visible.
Injuries can cause stress, cost money, and take of out of the day-to-day life you want to get back to living. Alisa Wilkes is a Jacksonville car accident lawyer who can help you minimize that stress, receive compensation, and get back to normality.