Vehicle accidents can cause a variety of injuries. While there are some unusual and bizarre injuries on the books, there are some very similar types of injuries that doctors and lawyers expect to see when someone has been in a car accident. If you’ve been in a crash, be sure to seek medical treatment at a qualified medical facility immediately.
The most common injuries
Whiplash
Whiplash is the big one and is probably the most common injury of all. Whiplash can happen even after a relatively minor car accident. The term refers to an injury to the tendons, muscles and ligaments of the neck. Whiplash happens when the car comes to a sudden stop but your body keeps moving forward for a second more.
Head injuries
In an accident, drivers, passengers, and pedestrians all run the risk of hitting their heads. Whether it’s on pavement, doors, windshields, dashboards, or even the back of the seat in front of you, hitting your head can be a serious thing. A brain injury can have long-term, serious consequences.
Broken bones
The most common bones to get broken in a car accident are the ribs, arms, legs, and hips. In an accident, you can be hit from behind, from in front, or from the side. Any of these hits can exert more pressure on your body than your bones can bear, and broken bones are a common injury particularly in side-impact crashes.
Knee trauma
If you’re in the front seat of a car, knee injuries are common. In a sudden stop, you knees may drive forward and hit the dashboard, particularly if your seat is kept far forward. Unfortunately, knee injuries are almost always complicated and painful. They limit your ability to move and can require a lot of surgery and physical therapy.
How to avoid injuries
If you’ve already been involved in an accident, don’t hesitate to get a Santa Ana car accident attorney to help you get the compensation you need to recover fully. Going forward, there are a couple ways to minimize your risk of car accident injury.
Always wear your seatbelt
This should go without saying in our day and age, but some people still fail to take basic precautions. Wearing your seatbelt halves your risk of being killed in a crash, and the seatbelt enhances the effectiveness of your car’s air bags. The seat belt is particularly helpful in keeping your from suffering head injuries.
Get a car with good airbags
Airbags are a proven way to protect people in a car accident. Even in a severe car accident, people in a car with good airbags typically suffer less serious injuries than those without. Some cars even come with curtain bags that will drop down and prevent your knees from slamming against the dash, which is a great way to protect yourself from a costly and difficult knee injury.
Sit properly
Even minor accidents can cause serious injuries when people in the front seat are thrown against the wheel or dashboard. The farther back you sit, the better the chance your airbags and seatbelt will be able to keep this from happening. You should also sit upright and face directly forward. Never put your feet on the dash or out the window.
Don’t speed
We all want to get where we’re going as fast as possible. This is understandable. But speeding and car crash injuries are directly linked. The more you speed, the more likely you are to be involved in a crash in the first place; and the more severe your injuries are likely to be.
There is no guaranteed way to avoid all car crashes, but you can minimize your risk by taking basic precautions. If you are in an accident, seek medical and legal help immediately to ensure the best possible outcome.
