For most people, traveling by car is an everyday part of life. But, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, 2.38 million people received injuries in automobile accidents in 2022. Some injuries occurred far more often than others, but any injury sustained in a car accident is important to know about. Here are 5 common injuries that happen in car accidents.

 

1. Whiplash

 

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues of the neck. It gets its name from how the accident forces the neck to move like a whip.

 

Imagine someone colliding into the rear of your car. Suddenly, your head pushes forward, and then, immediately, it goes backward in the opposite direction.

 

That unnatural movement puts too much pressure on your neck, damaging muscles, tendons that connect muscles to bones, and ligaments that connect bones to bones.

 

2. Back Strains and Sprains

 

There’s a wide range of back injuries possible in a car accident, ranging from minor to life-threatening. The lesser injuries are typically back strains or sprains.

 

A back strain damages muscles or tendons, which connect muscles to bones. The muscles or tendons could suffer tears, pulls, or twisting.

 

A back sprain differs from a strain because it deals with ligaments that connect bones to other bones. Ligaments govern how far a joint can move. When a person suffers a back sprain, the accident forces the joint to move beyond its normal range.

 

3. Injury to Vertebrae and Spinal Cord

 

A major back injury might involve damage to the vertebra or spinal cord. The vertebrae are circular bones that run the length of your back and surround the spinal cord for protection. The spinal cord is a collection of nerves that stretch along the spine.

 

Between the vertebra are fluid-filled disks of tough but stretchy tissue that absorb shocks to the spine. Any damage to these disks can result in chronic pain.

 

If an accident severely compromises the vertebra and they can no longer protect the nerves of the spinal cord, the victim can suffer temporary or even permanent paralysis.

 

4. Head Injuries

 

Head trauma can include visible injuries, like skull fractures, and invisible ones, such as concussions. They often occur when the head strikes a hard surface like the dashboard.

 

Some skull fractures are minor and can heal with few, if any, complications. Other incidents of head trauma can be life-altering and require skilled surgeons and experienced accident attorneys. For example, some victims will acquire types of disabilities following bleeding or swelling of the brain.

 

5. Broken Bones

 

Broken bones are difficult to avoid in high-speed car collisions. The tremendous forces involved in such accidents are enough to slam the human body against the interior of the car with such power that fractures are highly likely.

 

Instinctively, people tend to brace themselves with their arms or legs when they anticipate an accident. That reaction puts the limbs in a vulnerable position to suffer more stress than they can handle.

 

Many broken bones are also caused by airbags. The safety devices may save lives, but they inflate with such speed that the side effect is possible injury.

About Jacob Maslow

Jacob Maslow is the Founder and Editor of Legal Scoops, a breaking news site that covers the latest legal topics and provides in-depth analysis of new laws, legal proceedings and court decisions. Jacob's key insight and knowledge in the legal industry provides him with the expertise to be a social media consultant for some of the largest law firms in the country.