Common Injuries After Car Accident
The following are some of the most common injuries suffered by motor vehicle accident victims and some of the car crash stats for 2022:
Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
Car accidents are a leading cause of TBI, which occurs when the brain is damaged by a blow or a piercing injury to the head. Each year, 50,000 people die from TBI and another 80,000 to 90,000 suffer long-term disability.
Spinal cord injuries and paralysis (quadriplegia/tetraplegia and paraplegia)
The impact of a crash and torque on the body can cause long-term disability from spinal cord injuries. Damage to the spinal cord can result in partial or total paralysis below the level of the injury.
Back Injuries
The human body and spine are not designed to sustain heavy impact, and back injuries are a common result of car accidents. Back injuries may be delayed in showing up after an accident. The pain and disability from a serious back injury can be serious and long-lasting.
Burns
If a vehicle catches fire after a crash or if skin comes into contact with hot fluids, surfaces, steam or chemicals, the occupants can suffer burns. Very severe burns may require surgery and skin grafting.
Internal injuries
When a crash forces the body into an object, or the body is hit by flying debris, damage to internal organs may occur. Internal bleeding from this type of injury requires emergency medical treatment.
Fractures and broken bones
Broken legs, ribs, arms, ankles, and wrists are common in car accidents. Some car accident victims suffer a broken pelvis. Severity ranges from simple breaks that require a cast to serious breaks or compound fractures that may require surgery to repair.
Disfiguring facial injuries and scars
Facial injuries in car accidents can be caused by broken glass or by impact with a steering wheel, dash, windshield, airbag, side window, car seat or any hard surface. Disfigurement from facial injuries may require surgical correction and could leave a victim with a lasting scar.
Limb loss and amputation
An arm, leg, finger, toe or other appendages can be severed in a crash or damaged severely enough to require surgical amputation. This type of injury can have permanent disabling effects on the victim.
Neck injuries and whiplash
Whiplash is the common name for muscle, ligament and tendon injuries like neck pain after injury to the soft tissue of the neck that can happen in a car accident. Speeds as low as 15 mph can cause whiplash, with or without a seatbelt. Severe disk injury and cervical dislocation can also result from car accidents.
Knee injuries
Knees can be injured in car crashes by smashing into any part of the vehicle. Wounds range from bruises to multiple fractures. The meniscus, or cartilage in the knee, can tear if the knee is twisted or turned abruptly in a crash.
Foot and ankle injuries
Toe, feet, and ankle strains, sprains and fractures are common in car accidents. Feet and toes can also be severed in a crash.
Shoulder injuries
Shoulder injuries can result from force absorption after bracing the hands against the steering wheel or dashboard in a motor vehicle crash. The shoulder locks in position and receives excessive force from the impact of the collision.
Wrist and hand injuries
Distal radius fractures (broken wrists) are very common in car accidents. This type of injury may require surgery, depending on the severity of the fracture.
Lacerations, bruises and “road rash”
Broken glass, torn sheet metal or flying objects can cause lacerations. Bruises are caused by the impact of the body against any object, or vice versa. Road rash is abrasion caused by friction from being dragged or skidding on pavement or concrete.
Crush injuries
Any part of the body caught between two objects being pushed together under pressure can sustain crush injury.
Soft tissue injuries
Sprains, strains, bruising, and other damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments (soft tissue injuries) are very common in automobile accidents. This type of injury can be painful and long-lasting.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Not all car accident injuries are physical. You might suffer from mental and emotional injuries because of a car accident. You might have post-traumatic stress disorder, and things that used to be routine may become worrisome and even impossible. You may be able to recover for your mental health treatment and emotional suffering after a car accident.
Most Common Injuries from Car Wrecks in Dallas
There were more than 31,000 car accidents in Dallas, according to the most recent year of crash statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT). Among them there were:
- 194 fatal crashes
- 202 fatalities (deaths)
- 867 crashes with suspected serious injuries
- 1,038 suspected serious injuries
- 4,575 non-incapacitating injuries
- 7,149 accidents with injuries possible
- 12,103 possible injuries
- 18,375 crashes without injuries
- 58,147 drivers and passengers in crashes who were not injured.
Dallas Deadliest Highways and Times of Daily Commuting
In response to increased roadway congestion throughout the state, Texas lawmakers directed that the TX DOT produce a ranked list each year of the most congested roadways in the state. This list measures congestion by the number of extra hours of travel time experienced by travelers on each section of the road analyzed.
The task fell to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, which says the 2018 ranking of Texas’ most congested roadways illustrates a familiar theme – growth-induced traffic gridlock is getting worse every year.
The Institute’s Top 10 most congested road segments in Texas for 2018, including three locations in Dallas County and one in Tarrant County, are:
- In Dallas County (Dallas) – Woodall Rodgers Freeway / State Spur 366 from U.S. 75 to N Beckley Avenue
- In Tarrant County (Fort Worth) – North Freeway / Interstate 35W / U.S. 287 from State Highway 183 to Interstate 30
Legal Help for Dallas Car Accident Injury Victims
If you have suffered serious injuries in an accident caused by someone else, it is essential to consult with a knowledgeable car accident attorney.
Our firm can thoroughly evaluate the facts and evidence in your case and work with investigators to establish that another driver’s negligent behavior caused the accident and the injuries that resulted from it. We also work with medical experts and financial planners to establish the extent of your injuries and their full current and future costs. Our goal is to obtain fair compensation for victims of car accidents through negotiation or, if necessary, through litigation.
Contact Kraft & Associates, P.C., For a Free Consultation
There are deadlines for filing a car accident claim, so it is important that you meet with an attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case. For a free assessment, contact us today by calling us at (214) 999-9999. You can also submit a case evaluation online or send us an email at kraftlaw@kraftlaw.com.
Sources:
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – 2012 Motor Vehicle Crashes: Overview
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Motor Vehicle Crash Injuries: Vital Signs
- Midwest Orthopaedics at RUSH: – Orthopedic Trauma: Common Hand Injuries