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The Most Common Injuries After A Car Accident

The toll that a body takes from a car accident is nothing short of unnatural. Our bodies are not meant to be moving at such high speeds to begin with only to be stopped suddenly by an opposing force. Car accidents are so devastating because in the blink of an eye a serious and sometimes lifelong injury can incur.

Oftentimes after a car accident, a person will feel some pain but feel it is not serious enough to go through the hassle of going to the hospital. The accident was a detour in it of itself, so many just want to get home. However, a person can be seriously injured and not even realize it right away. When the body undergoes an immediate amount of stress, it uses adrenaline as its own painkiller as a survival instinct. This is why TV Shows watch online free we always recommend seeking medical attention immediately after an accident if you feel any pain whatsoever. Today, we will discuss the most common injuries that a person may face as a result of a car accident.

>Neck and Back Injuries

Neck and Back Injuries fall under the category of an injury you might not feel right away. Nevertheless, injuries in the neck or back such as whiplash, a fractured bone, sprained ligament, irritated joint or ruptured disc can lead to serious and debilitating pain.  The back and neck is a complicated structure of bones, joints, ligaments and muscles. Back and neck pain is the leading cause of disability worldwide and is the most common cause of missed work.

In many cases, physical therapy or chiropractic care are prescribed to solve the problem. If that doesn’t help, pain management treatments such as trigger point injections or epidural injections may be next. If that type of treatment should fail to alleviate the pain, the next step is surgery. There are many types of surgery that can be performed to attempt to resolve significant back pain, depending on the location and type of damage incurred by the accident.

>Head Injuries

Another very dangerous but not immediately noticeable injury is a head injury. Brain injuries are among the most serious types of injuries that a person can suffer in an accident. When the brain is injured, the changes that occur can vary greatly, depending on the area of the brain that is affected and the severity of the damage. Any of the brain’s functions may be altered – cognitive processes, vision, hearing and behavior.

A blow to the head can cause a concussion, hemorrhage (brain bleed), edema (fluid buildup), fracture to the skull, or worse of all, diffuse axonal injury (brain damage). The symptoms of these injuries game of thrones watch online free start very similarly and are impossible to detect without medical treatment. Any blow to the head from a car accident should be taken very seriously, because failure to treat a head injury could result in permanent damage.

Fractures

Although fractures are much easier to detect, they can still have a huge toll on a person’s life. Even if the injury seems obvious, the only way to know for sure if you have a fracture is with an x-ray. So if you have significant bruising and swelling in a certain part of your body after a car accident, it is imperative to get it checked out at the hospital. Fractures are very painful and can be very debilitating, often involving a long recovery and time off from work. Additionally, one occurring during a motor vehicle accident specifically is called a “traumatic fracture”. Unfortunately, the chances of experiencing a fracture only increases after the age of 30.

Lacerations

A laceration occurs when skin, tissue, or muscle is severed. Lacerations happen during auto collisions from broken glass, when an occupant is ejected from the car and injured by hitting the road, and other instances when a person comes into contact with any type of sharp object. Car accident lacerations can be really scary, as it is the first injury you would see and the first injury you would feel.

The concern with a laceration the 100 watch online free is if it is very serious, it would need to be treated immediately to prevent significant blood loss. Even if a person is not losing a lot of blood from the laceration, it still needs to be properly cleaned to prevent infection. If a police officer sees a laceration at the scene of an accident, they will probably call an ambulance for you before asking. Once treated, the only long term effect of a laceration is disfigurement or scarring. Although this is not a long term health problem, it can cause a lot of emotional pain to a person to see a permanent mark on their body because of the accident.

Torn Cartilage and Ligaments

A soft tissue injury is damage from ligaments, cartilage, muscles or tendons resulting from trauma or overuse. Damage to cartilage and ligaments specifically are more common from car accidents, although any type of soft tissue injury is plausible. Injuries to these types of connective tissues are not only very painful, but often limit a person’s mobility. Soft tissue injuries are categorized by three different grades

  1. Mild: Small tears in fibers and minimal swelling.
  2. Moderate: Partial tears and swelling. Increased pain especially when applying weight on injured areas.
  3. Severe: Complete ruptures with much swelling. Extreme pain and inability to use the injured area.

Consequently, soft tissue injuries can take weeks to months of time to recover depending on the severity. However, severity can also increase if a mild soft tissue injury is not treated. Therefore, it is very important that you seek medical attention any time you feel pain following an accident. A medical professional will likewise give you the advice you need to recover quickly and safely. Oftentimes physical therapy is recommended where you can get cold and electrotherapy to treat the injury.

How Do I Get My Medical Treatment Paid for After the Accident?

Although these injuries should not be taken lightly, many are understandably concerned with how expensive medical treatment can be, not to mention the time needed off work to recover. No-Fault insurance is an insurance program that provides medical benefits, lost wages and other incidental expenses for victims of car accidents in New York. Every car insurance policy in New York is required to provide No-Fault coverage. The insurance policy of the vehicle that you’re occupying at the time of the car accident is the policy that is responsible for paying your No-Fault benefits regardless of fault. If you are struck while a pedestrian or riding a bicycle, the vehicle that struck you is going to pay your No-Fault benefits. The minimum amount of coverage that is required in New York State for No-Fault is $50,000. Once your benefits exceed $50,000 the No-Fault carrier will not be responsible for your medical bills, lost wages or other incidental costs unless you have purchased additional no-fault benefits.

Although no fault is very helpful, sometimes that is not enough to cover all of your expenses from the accident. There are other things that no-fault doesn’t compensate for either, such as pain and suffering. Therefore, some decide to pursue a personal injury claim. While any injury from an accident can completely disrupt your life, New York has a statute called the “Serious Injury” Threshold that determines whether or not a person is able to file a personal injury claim. Here is what the State of New York considers to be a serious injury:

  • Death
  • Dismemberment
  • Significant disfigurement
  • Fracture
  • Loss of fetus
  • Permanent loss of use of body organ, member, function or system
  • Permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member
  • Significant limitation of use of a body function or system
  • Medically determined injury or impairment of a non-permanent nature which prevents the injured person from performing substantially all of the material acts which constitute such person’s usual and customary daily activities for not less than ninety days during the one hundred eighty days immediately following the occurrence of the injury or impairment

Clearly, not all of these types of injuries are straightforward, so it is still a good idea to get a free consultation with an experienced car accident attorney to see if you are eligible to file a claim.

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident, it is a good idea to call a car accident lawyer immediately. Most insurance companies spring into action right after their insureds are involved in an accident. They are immediately contacting witnesses and gathering statements in an attempt to escape responsibility for your injuries. That is why we are available by phone, e-mail or text message 24/7. We’re ready to get to work right away to ensure that your rights are protected.

In car accident cases there is generally a three-year statute of limitations to initiate a lawsuit. However, that time period may be reduced to as little as 90 days if your car accident involves a municipal, state or federal entity. So, it’s best to check with a qualified car accident attorney as soon as possible.

About the Author


Steven Palermo is the managing partner for Palermo Law, Long Island’s Personal Injury Law Firm. He has been helping people receive compensation for their injuries for over 21 years. He focuses on cases involving car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and slip and fall injuries.

His book The Ultimate Guide to Handling New York Car Accident Claims details the ins and outs of a car accident claim in a simple, easy-to-read manner.