After a car accident, you’ll likely feel pretty sore. Whether you’re stressed about missing work, or wondering how you’ll get your car fixed, you know car accidents can be stressful. Personal injury cases can be stressful, too.
Sometimes, it can take a couple of days for adrenaline levels to drop. After that happens, many are surprised as the extent and the nature of the damage to your body become more difficult to ignore. One of the most challenging parts of an accident are the physical injuries.
Car accidents can complex and injuries can be caused by any number of elements of the car crash. Did you realize the accident was coming and brace yourself or did it come out of nowhere? Were you wearing your seatbelt? Were you facing straight ahead or was your head turned?
Our team of Aurora car accident attorneys know that while every accident and every person is different, motor vehicle accidents do have some common injuries.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Your body’s connective tissues (like ligaments, tendons and muscles) are known as ‘soft tissues.’ Soft tissue injuries are some of the most common injuries that occur in motor vehicle accidents. At the very least, your muscles will likely be very sore if you are in a crash.
Here’s one example. The position of your head can affect the severity of the injuries you sustain in accident. One way in which this occurs is known as the “whiplash” injury.
This extremely common car accident side effect is a form of a soft tissue injury. The sudden impact of the accident causes ligaments in your neck to stretch. They are then “whipped” forward due to the sudden movement of getting hit by a vehicle.
Motor vehicle accidents have also been known to cause back and neck pain.
Soft tissue injuries are usually treated with a combination of alternative and chiropractic manipulations, rest, medication, massage and physical therapy.
Penetrating Injuries
Think of all of the loose items in your car. People treat their vehicles like a second home. There are tons of objects in our vehicles. Books, cell phones and coffee mugs can pose a serious danger in an accident. If you are thrown around in your car, it is likely that these objects will be too. Loose objects can cause injury in the same way shrapnel might.
These injuries can be relatively minor, but if they are deep enough they might require a trip to the emergency room and stitches.
In addition to cut, scrapes and bruises, you may encounter a flying object. This is why it’s so important to keep a clean space in the car. Make sure that any heavy objects you are traveling with are properly secured and stay that way until you reach your destination.
In high impact accidents, airbags and steering wheels can also cause serious abrasions.
Head and Brain Injuries
A vehicle’s unexpected stop or sudden movement from a collision can cause not only the neck to be unnaturally moved, but can actually cause the brain to hit the skull. This impact can cause serious issues. Sometimes, these injuries are called ‘closed head’ injuries.
Head injuries can lead to traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries or TBIs can present a wide variety of symptoms ranging from mild concussions to even more severe complications.
If you suspect you have suffered a head injury of any kind, you need to go to an emergency room as soon as possible. They will be able to help you quickly figure out the best treatment plan for your head injury.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Soft tissue injuries occurring near the spine can present unique complications. Injuries to the spine itself (like disc herniations) can be incredibly painful. If you have sustained serious spinal injuries, your doctors might suggest injections or even surgery. These interventions can help to heal you body. Many spinal injuries require intervention as the body will not simply recover with time.
Each car accident is different. Injuries like those above may be typical, but your case will likely be unique. That’s why you should focus on finding an attorney who understands not only injury law, but injury itself. Your attorney can help you to understand your personal injury case, and will explain what you should expect. Accidents have nuance, your attorney should as well.
Contact an Aurora personal injury attorney today if you have experienced any injury after a car accident in Colorado.
