The Most Common Car Accident Injuries in Texas
We may think of car accidents as freak occurrences but, unfortunately, car accidents and common car accident injuries occur more often than they should. More than 3 million people are injured in car accidents each year, and many common car accident injuries can leave their victims with lifelong consequences.
As experienced personal injury lawyers in The Woodlands, the team at Grimes and Fertitta have helped car accident victims win the compensation they needed for everything from minor car accident injuries to car accident injuries that require surgery and carry long-term consequences. These are some of the most common car accident injuries we see here in Texas.
Traumatic brain injuries
Due to the high speeds involved with many car accidents, traumatic brain injuries are among the most common car accident injuries we see. Traumatic brain injuries occur when your head crashes against a hard surface or as a result of a sudden jolt.
While some traumatic brain injuries can be mild, with temporary effects such as confusion, loss of consciousness, or nausea, traumatic brain injuries can also be severe, leading to long-lasting symptoms including decreased cognitive function, severe headaches, difficulty sleeping, and more. Many victims of severe traumatic brain injuries experience substantial changes in their life, including a lost ability to work, prolonged pain and anguish, the need for long-term care, and more — all of which could require additional compensation to adequately address.
Reducing the damage of a traumatic brain injury requires a quick response. Check out our article on what to do when you get in a car accident so that you can be prepared.
Soft tissue injury
Another of the top common car accident injuries we see are soft tissue injuries. Soft tissue injuries occur when damage is done to the ligaments, muscles, or tendons, often resulting in pain, bruising, swelling, or even loss of function. Don’t let the word “soft” fool you, soft tissue injuries can range from basic contusions to sprains, life-altering muscular strain, or even whiplash.
One of the true dangers of soft tissue injuries from getting hit by a car is that people often fail to realize the extent of these injuries at the time. Someone may get in an accident and think they’ve only sustained minor car accident injuries only to begin experiencing more severe symptoms like muscle spasms, cramping, weakness, and pain.
It is entirely possible that you could walk away from a car accident with soft tissue injuries thinking you’re fine, only to discover that you sustained car accident injuries that require surgery later.
Broken bones
If you’ve driven down 59 even once, we’re sure you can imagine that The Woodlands car accidents often involve high speeds. High-speed accidents can lead to high-impact collisions, which can lead to broken bones — particularly, broken ribs.
Ribs are relatively delicate bones, and breaking them can be extremely debilitating, requiring an extended period of rest. Similarly, severe bone breakage in the arms, legs, or hip can require surgeries, missed work, and may come with deeper complications depending on the nature of the break.
If you are in a car accident that results in broken bones, it’s critical that you speak with an attorney as soon as you can safely do so.
Internal bleeding
Unless a car accident is incredibly minor — like a fender bender or a brushed side mirror — there’s a reason we suggest that people in a car accident seek medical attention quickly. Not all common car accident injuries, including severe injuries, are immediately obvious, but they can still be incredibly dangerous; this describes internal bleeding to a tee.
Blunt trauma from a car accident can sometimes damage the blood vessels inside your body, resulting in internal bleeding. Internal bleeding can be highly dangerous if left untreated, and identifying this injury requires medical attention soon after the accident to properly mitigate any lasting damage.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Again, not all common car accident injuries are immediately visible. Whether a car accident results in a physical injury or not, it can leave mental severe mental trauma that can impact several facets of your daily life. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that causes panic, anxiety, and even depression in the wake of a traumatic event like a car crash.
Post-traumatic stress following a severe car accident can manifest itself in a number of ways, including:
- Fear/avoidance of driving
- Nightmares
- Heightened emotional reactions
- New sensitivity to certain sights and sounds
Even the most mild cases of PTSD require professional therapy to properly heal. At worst, PTSD can negatively impact a person’s ability to work or enjoy their life the way they were able to before the traumatic event.
Car accident injuries and compensation
When you’ve been in a car accident that resulted in an injury, the insurance company of the at-fault driver will likely attempt to quickly offer compensation based on their immediate assessment of your medical/financial needs.
This amount rarely if ever matches the true extent of the financial damage you may incur as a result of your accident and the resultant injuries — some of which may not have revealed themselves.
The only way to ensure that you are compensated fairly for the damages you sustain during a car accident is to seek immediate medical attention and to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney in The Woodlands.
Your lawyer will work with you to examine the circumstances surrounding the accident, ensure the full scope of your damages are properly accounted for, and hold the responsible parties accountable for the compensation you need to truly move on from your accident.
Injured in a Woodlands car accident? Call the experienced car accident attorneys at Grimes & Fertitta today
A car accident that results in injuries — even if they are “just” common car accident injuries — is not something you should try to handle on your own. It can take weeks or even months for the true extent of your injuries to reveal themselves, and the insurance company of the at-fault driver isn’t likely to check in on you after you’ve signed the paperwork.
If you haven’t hired a lawyer, the person who hit you probably already has. Don’t let the party responsible for your pain and suffering run away from their responsibility.
The car accident attorneys at Grimes & Fertitta have extensive experience handling all types of personal injury cases. Whether you need a truck accident lawyer or a drunk driving accident lawyer, we are here to help you fight for the compensation you may deserve for your injury.
You are more than just a case number to us: call 713-224-7644 today or contact us online to schedule your free personal injury consultation.
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