A study by the National Safety Council found that there were 4.5 million car accidents with injuries in the year 2018. Some of these accidents may have been fairly minor, but many of them resulted in long term medical conditions for the people who were involved in them.
Whenever you are involved in an accident, you should visit the doctor, even if you feel okay. There are some injuries you can sustain that may not be immediately apparent after an accident. If you have been to the doctor, you should go back to a follow-up visit to make sure that no new symptoms arise over time.
Any accident can result in multiple injuries. There are a few long term physical and psychological effects that are typically caused by car accidents.
Paralysis
If your spinal cord is injured in a car accident, it may result in temporary or permanent paralysis. Paralysis results in the inability to move certain muscles or a group of muscles. A victim of paralysis will often lose feeling in a certain part of their body.
Spinal cord injuries are not uncommon in car accidents because the crash will force a person’s spine to flex in an unnatural way.
Amputation
A person may suffer a traumatic amputation during a car accident. Arms legs and digits are often severed in a collision. Such an amputation can result in excessive bleeding. When you lose a lot of blood it can cause you to go into shock.
Although doctors may be able to reattach a severed limb, it is common to lose sensation or function in the appendage. Often times a prosthetic limb is used to replace an amputation.
Brain Trauma
When any force penetrates or fractures a person’s skull, it can result in a traumatic brain injury. In the case of a car accident, brain trauma can be caused by the brain striking against bones in the skull. When a car stops suddenly, the brain can continue to move and that may cause it to hit up against the skull. This can cause internal bleeding or bruising.
If your car hits the steering wheel or the windshield, it can cause blunt trauma. A person’s head may be crushed by force and this can result in an open wound.
Brain trauma can result in long term effects such as memory loss, insomnia, and sensitivity to light and sound. It can cause psychological problems such as depression and anxiety.
PTSD
People who have been in accidents often experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is triggered by the memory of a horrifying occurrence in a person’s life.
They may experience nightmares, flashbacks in which they relive the event over and over again, and severe emotional distress when something occurs to remind them of the event.
What to do When You are Injured
Insurance companies are notorious for not wanting to pay people what they are really owed. This is especially true when an accident has resulted in long term trauma. When you are in an accident, you should call the police, wait at the scene for an officer to arrive and get the names of any witnesses.
You should save all of your medical bills and have the doctor give you a copy of your diagnosis. You should also save bills from any medications you have had to take. Be sure to ask your employer to document the hours you have missed from work.
You will want to hire a personal injury attorney who has years of experience with accident law in your state. Car accident lawyer Hipskind & McAninch will work hard to get you the money you deserve.
Authoritative Sources:
https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/overview/introduction/
