Each year, millions of car accidents are reported in the United States. In 2018 alone, an estimated 6.7 million passenger cars were involved in traffic collisions, and these accidents resulted in 2.7 million injuries and 36,560 fatalities. The economic costs of car accidents are in the hundreds of billions of dollars each year. While injuries from car accidents vary from accident to accident, some result in serious car accident injuries. As claims involving catastrophic injuries are much more complex than claims involving minor injuries, it’s critical that victims hire experienced attorneys to assist them with their claims.
Serious Car Accident Injuries
Following a collision, you might suffer from minor or major injuries. Minor injuries include those from which you will likely fully recover within a few weeks. These types of injuries will generally not have a long-term impact on your life, and the compensation you might recover for them will likely be lower. If you suffer serious car accident injuries, however, your quality of life might be permanently altered. Depending on the nature of your injury, you might be permanently disabled and unable to return to your former career. The following are some of the most serious car accident injuries:
Head Injuries
When you are a passenger or a driver in a high-speed collision, you can strike your head against a window, the dashboard, the seat in front of you, or the steering wheel. Collision debris can also enter the cab of your vehicle and strike you in the head. Head injuries can cause traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which may result in comas or ongoing cognitive difficulties. If you suffer a severe TBI, you might require round-the-clock care and extensive rehabilitation, and you might never fully recover.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries can cause significant damage to your nerves. If your spinal cord is pinched by surrounding vertebrae or partially or completely severed, you could be permanently paralyzed from the location of your injury down through your extremities. If your spinal cord injury occurs in the cervical area of your spine, you could suffer from tetraplegia or paralysis from the neck down.
Burns
In some catastrophic accidents, one or both vehicles will catch on fire. This can result in severe burns. If you suffer third-degree burns from a car accident, you may have to undergo multiple skin grafts and spend months in the hospital. Severe burns will also make you more susceptible to potentially fatal infections. People who suffer serious burns may also face a lifetime of disfigurement and stigma.
Chest Trauma
If you suffer blunt force trauma to your chest during a car accident, you can suffer multiple serious injuries. You might have collapsed lungs, fractured ribs, or go into cardiac arrest because of the trauma. People who suffer blunt force trauma to their chests in car accidents may also suffer internal bleeding and damage to the organs. These types of injuries will require immediate medical help to prevent death.
Avulsions and Amputations
Motorcyclists and pedestrians who are struck by cars can be dragged by the vehicles. This can cause avulsions, which involve severe tissue loss. Amputations in motor vehicle accidents can also happen. These types of injuries can result in substantial blood loss, an increased risk of death, permanent disfigurement, and disability.
Fractures
Car accidents can cause multiple fractures. If you suffer fractures in an accident, you might require one or more surgeries to ensure that your bones heal correctly. If a fracture is especially severe, you might have to undergo surgery to remove a portion of your affected limb.
Get Help from an Experienced Car Accident Injury Attorney
If you have sustained serious injuries in a car accident, you should go to the hospital and get legal help from an experienced injury attorney as soon as possible. The lawyers at the Law Offices of Bryan Musgrave understand how devastating serious accident injuries can be on the lives of victims and their families. Contact us today for a free consultation by calling 417-322-2222 or sending a message online.