An excruciatingly large number of car accidents take place almost daily. As a result, injuries resulting from car accidents account for a large percentage of all reported injuries. 

The injuries are almost as varied as they are plenty, but which ones are the most common? This article will take you through the most common car accident injuries. 

However, the type of injuries will likely depend on the kind of accident the victims are involved in. These injuries might include: 

• Neck Injuries

When a car is hit from behind during a car accident, there are high chances it may cause neck injuries and severe whiplash. Neck injuries are caused when the neck is suddenly and unexpectedly moved with great force during a car accident. 

The muscles in the neck would have been stretched beyond their normal range. This makes it hard to move one’s head and neck due to severe pain. In addition, it also causes vision difficulties.

• Back Injuries

In the majority of car accidents, the lower back is the most common area of injury. Most victims suffer from broken vertebrae, herniated discs, and sprained backs.

The back is the home of the spinal cord, which is of central importance in the human body. This means that if the spinal cord is damaged in any way, it could affect your movement as the brain can’t directly send nerve signals to the body. 

Likewise, if any part of the back is damaged, it would take months and sometimes years of physical therapy to completely heal, as the back is greatly associated with mobility. 

Moreover, if one’s back is fractured, one could lose mobility in either the hands or legs. Hence, making it hard for them to resume their daily lives as they normally would, which could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. 

In many cases of high-impact accidents, back injuries can often lead to paralysis of either the legs, arms, or whole body.

• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

When car accidents happen, people have a high chance of hitting their heads on windows or steering wheels. And because traumatic brain injuries occur when one’s head is hit with great impact, the rate of brain injuries is high. 

A traumatic brain injury may not be noticeable right after the accident, but the healing struggle can be long-term. One could start having difficulties in thinking and processing new information. In addition, they could start getting anxiety and difficulties breathing. These are some signs that one might have a traumatic brain injury.

• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Car accident injuries aren’t always physical; they can also be mental as well as emotional. One’s mental health could also be at risk after a car accident, as one might suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. 

In most cases, the victims would be feeling a lot of pressure, and resuming their normal living routine might get stressful and worrisome. This could be because of the fear of the accident happening again. Another reason is that the person would have gone through a major change like facial scarring or amputation. 

Because of this, their physical trauma makes it difficult for them to resume their lives the way they used to. Some people can recover from this through therapy, and some never recover.

• Broken Bones

Broken bones are one of the most common car accident injuries involving a car collision. They can cause internal injuries that can be severe and hard to treat. 

For example, if someone has a broken rib, that could puncture a lung. And because the lungs are difficult to treat, this injury could be permanent. Other types of broken bones include hip fractures, spinal fractures, and skull fractures.

• Amputations

Amputations are long-term changes that have a negative impact on a person’s life. This happens when a person’s body part is too damaged to still have its nerves working. It’s usually done to the arms, fingers, toes, and limbs. This leaves the person with a lifelong disability and possibly a great deal of trauma. 

Amputations that happen after an accident are called ‘traumatic amputations.’ They’re done right after a traumatic event. They’re also life-changing as they negatively affect the person’s daily routine with the burden of learning to live without a body part.

• Scarring

Scarring is most common in car accidents where a fire starts, chemicals are spilled, and something is broken. Usually, people suffer from burns, which are the major cause of scarring in car accidents. Scars on one’s face can play a huge part in altering the person’s self-esteem, resulting in stress issues.

Conclusion

Car accident injuries can leave behind devastating results like lack of self-confidence, stress, and worse, paralysis. These injuries can be temporary or permanent, depending on their severity.