Most Common Car Accident Injuries

Road safety is extremely important no matter where you are or which type of vehicle you’re driving. Accidents on the roads are more common than many of us would like to imagine and they’re something that we don’t tend to think about.

Every year, thousands of people get injured in road traffic accidents. Colliding with another vehicle or object while driving can lead to serious accidents that end in major injuries.

If you have an accident on the roads that is not your fault, you could be entitled to compensation for your injuries. You will need to contact an Edmonton car accident injury lawyer to discuss your options and file damage claims.

Should you win a case in court following your injuries after a car accident, you can gain compensation to cover any associated financial losses and psychological trauma.

Common Injuries On The Roads

Sadly, there are hundreds, if not thousands of different kinds of injuries that you can sustain in road traffic incidents. In some cases, the injuries are short-term and require minimal treatments. Others are chronic injuries and can impact the rest of your life.

So, what are some of the most common injuries that people sustain in car accidents? Let’s take a closer look at the different injuries that you are susceptible to in road traffic incidents.

Whiplash

Whiplash refers to a type of neck injury that occurs when there is sudden, forceful movement of the head. It can impact the muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the head.

Often in road collisions, your head can get forcefully thrown forward at speeds that you wouldn’t be able to achieve by yourself. The damage that this causes to your neck can result in aches and pains that may last several weeks.

Head Trauma

When you’re in a car accident, there’s a significant risk of receiving a major or minor head injury. Known as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), serious head injuries can result in temporary or permanent complications.

If a TBI isn’t treated immediately, the risk of long-term complications increases. Some of the most common symptoms of trauma to the head include:

Headaches or migraines
Blurred vision
Insomnia
Slurred speech

Should you experience any of the above symptoms following a car accident, you must seek medical attention as quickly as possible. You can get treatment for your brain injury and minimize the risk of long-term complications.

Broken Bones

Although bones are extremely strong, they can break when they are placed under a significant amount of force, as they are in a road traffic accident. Almost any bone can break upon impact but certain bones are more prone to trauma than others.

Ribs commonly get broken in road traffic collisions because of the force of the seatbelt as the body is thrown forward. Broken ribs are extremely painful and often take several weeks to fully heal. During this recovery period, you will be unable to do any high-intensity or high-impact movement.

Bones in the arms, legs, shoulders, and hips are also prone to breakages in car accidents. They are fragile and unable to absorb the shock of even a minor collision, leading to fractures in one or more areas of the bones.

Herniated Disc

A herniated disc is also often called a slipped disc or a prolapsed disc. It occurs when the soft tissue that cushions the vertebrae bulges out of the spine. It can be extremely painful and may lead to further complications if not treated properly.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Car accidents don’t just cause physical trauma. They can also lead to long-term emotional trauma. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most common forms of psychological trauma that results from car accidents.

Whether the driver feels guilty for the accident or they are now fearful of driving after the incident, people can carry the trauma of the event in their minds for years after it has occurred. This leads to PTSD and can seriously affect people’s well-being.

Treatment for PTSD can take several months or even years. Some people never manage to overcome the psychological trauma that they are carrying following a car accident, which is very saddening to think about.