Car accidents are very rampant across the world and in the United States. Reportedly, 39.5 million people visited a physician’s office for unintentional injuries in 2016. If you have been in an accident, you should watch out for hidden injuries you may have sustained.
This article explores injuries that could follow a car accident and what you should do. Have you recently been in a car crash? Then, contact a car accident lawyer today to learn about what you can do to move forward.
What Physical Injuries Should You Watch Out For?
There are hidden physical injuries you could sustain in a car crash. Some of them are listed below:
Herniated Discs
If you get thrown against something involuntarily and violently, you could sustain whiplash. This is quite common with car accidents. However, mild whiplash could be the least of your problems if you are in a car crash. The force of the accident could cause the tissue between your spine’s vertebrae to rupture. This will put pressure on the nerves coming out of your spine and inflame them. Medically, this condition is referred to as a herniated disc.
The consequences of these are pretty severe. It could result in loss of feeling, and you may lose control of the muscles in your arms and legs. In addition, you could also be in severe pain for as long as the condition exists.
Sometimes, it takes a while to start seeing symptoms of a herniated disc. It could take days or weeks after the accident before symptoms are noticeable. Unfortunately, at this time, it might be too late and cause a long-term disability.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
During a car crash, your head could whip back and forth. This could cause a traumatic brain injury (TBI). TBIs are generally severe injuries that could cause irreparable damage to brain function. They are so deadly that they caused more than 60,000 deaths in 2019.
The worst part of TBIs is that it is pretty hard to wrap your head around them at first because they are internal. You might discover that the victim begins to forget things easily or acts differently than they used to. All of these and more could be a result of an undetected traumatic brain injury.
It is advisable to see a doctor immediately after a crash to ensure that you have not suffered a TBI without your knowledge. If you have any symptoms, contact a doctor immediately.
Knee Injuries
Your knees are pretty vulnerable in car crashes. If the force of the collision throws you forward, you could strike your knees against the dashboard or the seat in front of you. This could result in different knee injuries, such as a shattered patella or a torn meniscus.
While you might suspect that you have some sort of knee injury, you might ignore it, thinking it is not severe. Unfortunately, many knee injuries end up needing surgery to correct and treat. Therefore, it is essential to visit the doctor if you feel any pain in your knees after a crash. This could save you years of pain and even a long-term disability.
Shoulder Injuries
Your shoulder is one of the most vulnerable parts of your body in a car accident. This is because of the design of the seatbelt. It wraps over one shoulder to prevent you from being forcefully thrown forward in a crash.
However, that shoulder could absorb a large percentage of the impact of a collision. As a result, your body could also twist over that shoulder. This impact could cause injuries like shoulder strains, bruising, tears to your ligament, etc.
Psychological Effects of a Car Crash
The effects of a car crash are not only physical; they could also be psychological. That is even harder to determine because you might not have any physical signs of this. For example, you could have nightmares that come from the trauma you experienced during the crash. This could affect your ability to sleep and later have effects on your daily activities. You might even lose sleep totally because your mind is disturbed by the crash.
Many people also develop a phobia after a crash. They might never be able to get in a car again because of the incident. You should visit a psychologist as soon as possible after an accident to ensure that your psychological state is all right.
Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Today!
Car accident lawyers ensure that you get the proper compensation for any injuries you sustain from a car accident. Speak to our experienced Ohio auto accident attorneys to determine what to do if you sustain injuries in a car crash. We offer free initial consultations.