It only takes a split second for a devastating car accident to upend your life. In the aftermath of one of these wrecks, you can be left with extensive physical pain and suffering, newfound physical limitations, and financial losses that leave you with an uncertain future. The emotional toll that can be taken can be severe, too, leaving you struggling to cope with depression and anxiety.
As worrisome as all of this may be, you should take comfort knowing that a personal injury lawsuit may be able to provide you with the relief that you need to offset your damages. Before you can succeed on one of these claims, though, you’ll have to make sure that you adequately prove the extent of your damages, which includes presenting evidence of the injuries that you’ve suffered.
What are some of the most common injuries suffered in a car accident?
A car accident can leave you with multiple injuries that you’ll need to address in your personal injury claim. However, here are some of the most common injuries that are suffered in these wrecks:
- Whiplash: Here, your muscles, ligaments, or tendons in the neck are injured by the quick jerking motion that is often associated with a car accident. This injury can be extremely painful and can take a significant amount of time to heal.
- Brain injuries: Many car accident victims hit their head on the dashboard, the steering wheel or a window, resulting in a traumatic brain injury. These injuries can cause long-term complications related to physical movement, cognitive abilities, sleep, and concentration.
- Broken ribs: Your ribs can be susceptible to sudden impact, which is often experienced in a car accident. That’s why many car accident victims suffer broken ribs, which, like whiplash, can be painful, reduce your mobility, and leave you with the need for extended rest and recovery.
- Herniated disc: Your vertebrae are cushioned by discs that are filled with a jelly-like substance. Sometimes, though, those discs rupture, causing the fluid to leak out. This can cause an extraordinary amount of back pain that results in chronic problems. Unfortunately, this kind of injury can be rather common in car accidents.
- Knee injuries: If your knee strikes the dashboard at a high rate of speed in a car accident, then you might suffer from torn ligaments or a shattered knee cap. This can leave you with extensive pain and limited mobility for a significant period of time.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: Although many of the injuries suffered in a car accident are physical in nature, you can’t overlook the impact one of these wrecks can have on your mental wellbeing. For example, many car accident victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, which can cause them to relive the event and experience extreme episodes of stress and anxiety. Extensive therapeutic support may be needed to appropriately address this condition.
Legal help if you need it
These are just some of the injuries that can be suffered in a car accident, and this list is by no means exhaustive. But any one of them can leave you with pain and the need for extensive medical care.
If you’re worried about how you’re going to cover your losses following a car accident, then you might want to consider discussing your circumstances with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you build the case that you need to recover the compensation that you deserve. Hopefully then you can get on the path to recovery and reclaim your life as quickly as possible.