San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Car accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, from obvious injuries like broken bones to not-so-obvious injuries like emotional distress. The five types of injuries below are the most common types of injuries resulting from car accidents. If you have been involved in a car accident and suffered from one of these injuries, contact an experienced Santa Rosa or San Francisco personal injury attorney immediately for a comprehensive analysis of your case.
Whiplash
Since most car accidents involve a jerking motion, either from front to back or from side to side, victims of car accidents often suffer from whiplash. As the name indicates, whiplash occurs when the head and neck “whip” back and forth or from side to side. This typically causes pain or stiffness in the neck or head region, or even total loss of motion. Depending on the severity of the whiplash suffered, a car accident victim can recover from whiplash naturally over time or require additional treatment to heal.
Concussion
The jerking motion that causes so many car accident victims to suffer from whiplash also may cause them to suffer from concussions. The back and forth jerking motion can lead to headaches, migraines, dizziness, and vomiting. Other ways in which an individual might suffer a concussion from a car accident is by hitting his or her head on the door or front dashboard. If you are having a hard time concentrating or remembering things you used to remember with ease, contact a medical professional to receive an evaluation.
Fractures
In a car accident, fractured bones are typically caused by compression or blunt force trauma. While any bone is susceptible to fractures, the most common bones that are fractured in a car accident are in the hands, feet, arms, and legs. Drivers who are rear ended by drivers who were driving too fast or tailgating are particularly susceptible to bone fractures in their hands and arms due to the compression of the steering wheel against their hands when the force from behind is applied.
Other Musculoskeletal Injuries
Your bones are not the only part of your body susceptible to injury in a car accident. The other pieces surrounding your bones are at risk, too. Muscles, ligaments, tendons, and nerves can all be damaged in a car accident as well. While a pulled muscle is hardly something to complain about, a pinched nerve or a pulled ligament can be a much more serious concern that requires immediate medical attention.
Emotional Distress
As mentioned above, physical injury is not the only type of injury that results from a car accident. Oftentimes, victims of car accidents suffer emotional injury, as well. Many drivers are unable to get back in the driver’s seat after a bad car accident, and many passengers are unable to get into the passenger seat after an accident. These emotional and psychological injuries may require counseling and therapy in order to fully heal.
Contact a Santa Rosa or San Francisco Personal Injury Attorney Today
The attorneys at Brod Law Firm have years of experience fighting for the rights of car accident victims. Our main mission is to make you feel whole again after being injured in a car accident, both physically and emotionally, and we will not stop trying until you have gotten what you want. If you have been injured in a car accident, contact us at (800) 427-7020 or visit us online to schedule your free consultation.
(image courtesy of Harlie Raethel)