Graphic showing shoulder injury in a car crash
Motor vehicle accident injuries affect differing parts of the body. Head, neck and back injuries are certainly the most frequent, but motor vehicle collisions also frequently affect internal organs, and upper and lower limbs. The following are among the most common injuries, symptoms and treatment for motor vehicle accident injuries:
Head & Neck injuries
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an extremely serious injury that may result in a car accident. Such a brain injury occurs when the external force of a motor vehicle accident traumatizes the brain. Brain injury may result in permanent or temporary impairment of the brain’s functions. Skull fractures, bruises of the brain (hematoma), and nerve damage in many cases are associated with such brain injury.
Brain injuries are more common in side impact motor vehicle collisions compared to rear-end vehicle accidents. Brain damage in a vehicle accident is frequently associated with the quick acceleration and deceleration of the brain, which causes injury to the point of impact and it is opposite point or contrecoup. Diagnosis of a brain injury can be difficult. Concussions are associated with traumatic brain injury as well as seizures, headaches, dizziness, deficiency of concentration, memory loss, depression or anxiety. CT scans and MRI scans can be used to diagnosis brain injury.
Neck injuries vary from whiplash, probably the most common and annoying injuries caused by car accidents, to disk injuries. Whiplash is an injury frequently related to rear-end impacts. Whiplash injures the soft tissues comprised of nerves, ligaments and muscles. It causes neck pain and limitation of head and neck movement effecting rotation and peripheral vision. It may be temporary or permanent and can affect all aspects of life. If whiplash lasts for more than a few days after a motor vehicle accident physicians will prescribe medications and often refer patients to physical therapists or chiropractors for rehabilitative therapy.
Temporalmandibular joint (TMJ) injury is an injury to the joint and ligaments that allow the jaw to move. Similar to whiplash, the TMJ joint is injured in the acceleration and deceleration of a motor vehicle accident. This may occur with direct or indirect damage to the jaw and effects chewing, eating and speech.
Intervertebral discs make up the spine. The disks lie between each bone (vertebrae) within the spine and form joints giving spines flexibility. Discs are made up of an outer skin called an annulus that surround the interior nucleus, a jelly like substance. If the annulus is torn, a disc may herniate and need surgery. Disks in the neck and spine may bulge, slip or rupture, hence the phrases bulging disc, slipped disc, and ruptured disc. CT scans and MRI scans are often used to diagnosis disc injuries and since such tests are costly doctors will not likely order them immediately after a vehicle accident. It frequently occurs where a disk injury or herniated disc isn’t diagnosed until months following a motor vehicle accident.
Back Injuries
Intervertebral disks in the neck, cervical discs, aren’t the only discs injured in car accidents. Thoracic, mid-back, disks and lumbar, lower back, disks may also be injured in car accidents. Compression fractures may be caused in such accidents causing permanent disability. Also, herniations or bulges may cause spinal-cord compression. Symptoms of spinal injuries include arm and/or leg weakness, paralysis, difficulty breathing, numbness, tingling, and abnormal bowel or bladder control. Disc injuries causing those symptoms may require surgery to eliminate disc material or spinal fusion.
In the same way whiplash injures soft tissues involving the neck, the back nerves, ligaments and muscles may be traumatized by a car accident causing inflammation and pain. Prescriptive medications in many cases are used initially but for continuing pain and inflammation, patients are sent to physical therapists or chiropractors for rehabilitative therapy. Such therapy generally includes infrared heat, hot packs, paraffin bath, hydrotherapy, diathermy, cold packs, ultrasound, electrical stimulation, muscle strengthening, traction, massage, or acupuncture. Another common treatment is steroid injection.
Internal Organs
Internal injuries from a motor vehicle accident include injuries to bowels, kidneys, the spleen, liver, lungs, heart or aorta. Fractured ribs are quite common and could also puncture lungs along with other body organs. Torn spleens are also a frequent injury and may require extensive hospitalization.
Upper limbs
Hands, forearms, arms, shoulders, wrists and fingers in many cases are injured in car accidents as well. Fractures are typical and treatment generally involves splints and casts. Occasionally, such injuries will demand surgery together with splinting and casting. Therapy may also be required for increasing reduced strength and range of flexibility.
Rotator cuff injuries are frequently a result of automobile accidents. MRI scans are often used to diagnosis rotator cuff tears but since these tests are costly doctors will typically not order them immediately after a car accident and will wait for completion of physical rehabilitation before ordering an MRI. Severe shoulder injuries will require shoulder reconstruction.
Lower limbs
Hips, legs, knees, heels, ankles, and feet are also commonly damaged in car accidents. Achilles tendon injuries, ankle sprains, collateral ligament injuries and stress fractures are normal. Fractures in the pelvis, femur, patella, tibia, and ankle may require casting or surgery. For serious hip and knee injuries, total hip replacements or total knee arthroplasty might be necessary following a car accident.
It is very important that you select an experienced personal injury attorney if you have had a car crash or other motor vehicle accident, one who is not only familiar with the injuries you have sustained in the accident, but also the treatment and prognosis as well.
You should be able to tell during a consultation with a reputable personal injury attorney right away, whether they know what they are talking about or not.
Also look at their ratings; Attorney Norman Gregory Fernandez has been rated 10 out of 10, the highest rating possible by Avvo.
Our law firm handles car accident cases all over the state of California. You can read about these cases at http://www.thepersonalinjury.com . If you want to discuss your case, you may call me for a free consultation at 800-816-1529 x. 1.
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