Serious Injury Accidents

Serious injury accidents from car crashes are happening across the United States every second. Every year, 3.3 million Americans are seriously injured in a car accident. Approximately 40,000 lose their life due to the impact or complications from the crash.

Injuries sustained in a car accident are often life-altering. The injuries may cause disfigurement or cause a permanent handicap. Read on to learn more about serious injury accidents. Here are five examples of injury accidents that are certain to leave a lasting impact on your life.

1. Brain Trauma

Perhaps no serious injury accidents are more severe than one to the brain. Your brain is the body’s key component to living a full and healthy life. Your major organs and muscles may be intact but cannot operate optimally if the brain is seriously injured.

Many brain injuries occur as the result of a major car accident. The list of symptoms is long and impactful. A brain injury may affect your ability to normally function. Some victims of a car accident suffer from short and long-term memory loss. Others struggle with their balance and coordination.

It is not uncommon to see brain trauma victims deal with unexplained mood swings. Brain injury also increases the risk of developing degenerative diseases. You may now be more vulnerable to a seizure or a stroke.

In some of the worst cases, brain injury victims end up in a coma. Long-term complications include powerful headaches, loss of consciousness, and persistent nausea.

2. Neck and Back Injuries

Right below the brain is the potential for debilitating neck and back injuries. Many car accident victims suffer from whiplash. This occurs when your muscles or ligaments are strained from moving in a violent way they are not intended to. Whiplash often occurs at impact and may be caused by the vehicle’s airbags.

However, whiplash does not constitute a serious injury accident. The symptoms of whiplash are not permanent and usually subside after a week or two. This does not mean that your body is not vulnerable to significant neck and back injuries in the wake of a car accident. Neck and back injuries are a common byproduct of high-speed collisions. 

Trauma to the neck or back carries the potential to alter your life. You may now suffer from chronic pain. Many victims of neck or back injury become dependent on prescription pain medicine to keep living.

Some experience crippling muscle spasms, while others deal with numbness or an inability to maintain normal posture. In the worst cases, the victim is left paralyzed and can no longer live any semblance of a normal life.

3. Internal Bleeding

Internal bleeding is a life-threatening injury that often occurs in a vehicular accident. The biggest concern with internal bleeding is that it may not be easily detectable. This is why it is so critical that you contact the authorities after a car accident. First responders arrive at the scene and perform a preliminary evaluation of your condition. In many cases, they refer you to a hospital or urgent care facility for additional testing.

Taking proper precautions and seeing a doctor is the best way to diagnose internal bleeding. You may have organ damage or life-threatening internal bleeding occurring under the surface. There are a number of symptoms to watch for pertaining to internal bleeding. Victims of internal bleeding often lose consciousness or report faint spells. They may be dizzy or lose coordination.

Also, there are physical signs that indicate internal bleeding. Both abdominal pain and deeply purple skin are signs of internal bleeding as well. The best advice is to see a medical professional immediately. Internal bleeding needs to be stopped quickly or there may be long-term health implications or even death. 

Ultimately, you may need a personal injury lawyer to help pay for the medical bills associated with long-term care.

4. Penetration Injuries

Depending on where the collision takes place, there is also the risk of a penetration injury. This occurs when impaled by a foreign object. This may occur if the driver loses control of the vehicle and steers off the road. Trees, metal structures, and other outside hazards all pose a threat to penetrating the victim.

This type of injury poses an immediate threat to survival. The penetrating item may impale a vital organ like the lungs or kidneys. A strike to the heart or brain may result in immediate death or paralysis. Any type of penetrating injury requires immediate attention. Damage to ligaments, muscles, and organs could potentially cause long-term injury and handicap.  

5. Amputation and Loss of Limb

Your appendages are at risk of amputation in a major vehicle collision. Accidents commonly occur at high driving speeds like 65 miles per hour or more. Add in the fact that the other car may be traveling equally fast. This presents a dangerous situation in which the brunt of force may result in a loss of limb.

In some cases, amputation is required to save the victim’s life. Also, amputation is necessary if the appendage is damaged beyond repair or limited in functionality. The most common amputation is the leg and may occur above or below the knee. It is also possible to lose a foot, hand, or arm.

The collision may create poor blood flow to your appendages. When this occurs, arteries narrow. Then, your appendages cannot receive proper blood flow. An amputation is a major procedure and requires an extended hospital stay. You may need to stay in the hospital for at least two weeks.

Remember These Examples of Serious Injury Accidents

Unfortunately, serious injury may occur during a vehicle collision. It is possible to experience life-altering brain or back injuries. Penetrating injuries and amputations are also possible as foreign objects present a threat. The end result of a personal injury may be a handicap or chronic pain.

If you endured serious injury accidents, contact Alpha Accident Lawyers. We will help you recover compensation for your injuries. Our consultation is 100% free, and we are available to assist 24 hours a day, seven days a week.