Minor car crash victims reporting pain after collisions have often been accused of faking or exaggerating their pain from injury, however, we now know that even minor fender benders and rear-end bumps can cause soft injuries which can last more than two months. These injuries keep people out of work and in the doctor’s office and the financial burdens can add up quickly.
During a car crash, the spine is subjected to stretching and compression. Inflammation results, and is a large cause of moderate to severe pain. Whiplash can cause neck, back, and leg injury and the pain can last long after the crash.
Most Common Car Crash Injuries:
- Head and Neck (brain injury or concussion)
- Back (spinal cord or herniated disc)
- Chest (collapsed lung or vocal cord paralysis)
- Abdominal
- Broken Bones
- Torn ligaments and muscles
- Lacerations and Bruising
There is no doubt that people experience neck, head or back pain after a car accident, even in minor ones. The question is whether the pain will be long-lasting, chronic pain. It has been suggested that it is even possible for minor head injuries to result in post-traumatic stress disorder.
Whiplash and Other Common Injuries
The use of the term “whiplash,” used to describe the injuries we now know as whiplash, was first coined in 1928 and detailed in 1953 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Chronic pain causes emotional and psychological stress which can interfere with life and relationships. Time lost from work can further burden someone suffering from chronic pain. It is estimated that the cost of treating and managing whiplash and related injuries is $70 to $90 billion per year.
It is extremely important to be taken by ambulance to the hospital after a car crash injury. In minor accidents, including rear-end collisions, if the pain isn’t felt immediately or if the pain isn’t as severe as the victim thinks it should be, they can often ignore the advice of medical personnel to go to the hospital for evaluation. In less severe crashes, whiplash may take up to 24 hrs to reveal itself and it may even take days to realize something isn’t as right as it was before the accident.
Pain is very real and can be debilitating. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study found that of all lower-extremity injuries resulting in car crashes, ankle and foot injuries have the most debilitating consequences and long-term effects.
People with ankle and foot injuries also had difficulty with concentration, attention, and memory. 30 percent experienced increased irritability, and personality changes occurred in 20 percent of the study group. Car accident victims who sustained foot and ankle injuries and fractures were more likely to be re-hospitalized within a year after their initial injury, with complaints directly related to the initial injury.
If you have been in a car accident in Texas, the first things you need to do are to stay at the scene, check for injuries to yourself and others, and call the police or an ambulance if needed. Exchange personal and insurance information with the other driver, and take photos of damage if possible. Do not make statements of admission of guilt to the other driver or witnesses that may be at the scene.
It would be wise when involved in an accident to contact a car accident lawyer, even if you don’t have severe injuries. Data from experts in the field of science and medicine understand the nature of minor and severe injuries and the possibility they may affect you long term, and so does a car accident lawyer.
If you’ve been in a car accident and have been injured or if you just need advice, call our law offices today at any of our convenient locations and get a free consultation.
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