Top 10 Injuries Caused by Car Accidents

The Most Common Types of Auto Accident Injuries

The type and severity of injury that a driver, passenger or other victim of a car accident experiences will vary depending on a number of factors. The force of the collision, the location of the impact, the type of vehicle or vehicles involved, the crashworthiness of the vehicle and whether the individual was wearing a seatbelt may all make a difference. However, there are certain injuries that are particularly common in auto accidents.
  1. Whiplash – the sudden, forceful impact of a car accident may cause a driver or passenger's head to whip suddenly backward and forward or in a side-to-side motion. This may cause injury to the soft tissue of the neck, something that may result in lasting stiffness and a great deal of pain. This is typically referred to as whiplash and is the most common type of car accident injury.
  2. Head Trauma – this may occur if the force of impact causes the head to come into contact with the windshield, dashboard, side window or other surface.
  3. Back Injury – direct impact with the back or the sudden force of a car accident may cause serious injury to the back.
  4. Brain Trauma – damage to the brain is one of the most serious types of injuries that may be caused by a car accident. The brain may collide with the side of the skull due to the force of impact, or direct trauma to the head may cause serious injury to the brain.
  5. Spinal Cord Injury – a spinal cord injury may lead to partial or total paralysis, depending on the extent of damage to the spinal cord. Along with brain injuries, this is one of the most serious types of car accident injuries one may experience.
  6. Neck Injury – pain or stiffness in the neck may indicate a problem with the soft tissue in the neck or perhaps with the spinal cord itself. The force of impact may cause various types of neck injuries.
  7. Internal Organ Injury – when a collision is particularly forceful, a driver or passenger may experience damage to internal organs. For example, the ribs may break and may puncture the lungs or other organs.
  8. Knee Injury – knee injuries may be caused when the knee comes into contact with the dashboard or other part of a vehicle. These particular injuries may be extremely painful and may require multiple surgeries and a long recovery period.
  9. Lower Limb Injury – one's legs and feet may be at risk of injury in a car accident, whether from blunt force trauma or perhaps from the vehicle crumpling in on itself.
  10. Upper Limb Injury – most people tense up right before an accident, and this may mean that they use their arms to brace themselves. The arms, wrists or hands may be at risk of serious injury as a result.
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