What Injuries Can You Get from a Car Crash?
Injuries that passengers can suffer from a car crash include:
- Burns
- Broken bones
- Soft tissue injuries, such as whiplash
- Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions
- Trauma to the spinal cord
Regardless of the severity of your injuries, you should get medical attention right away after a collision. Some conditions, like internal bleeding or brain damage, do not exhibit symptoms right away. Any delay in seeking treatment can quickly turn deadly.
If you’ve suffered a severe or life-threatening injury in a collision, a catastrophic injury lawyer serving Alexandria can help you get the financial support you need to afford quality medical care and cover other expenses related to the incident.
Personal Injuries in a Car Crash
Research from Louisiana State University found that in 2018, there were over 74,900 people injured in car accidents. In these situations, claimants may have received compensation from the at-fault driver’s insurance company or through a court award.
Some injuries that merit financial recovery include:
Burns
A burn can result from a fire, a scrape with metal or concrete, or coming into contact with hot material. Serious burns may result in scarring or require grafting to replace the damaged skin.
Broken Bones
An impact with another vehicle or object can fracture bones. Serious situations may require multiple surgical procedures and involve prolonged recovery periods.
Soft Tissue Injuries
These types of afflictions include trauma to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons throughout the body. The sudden force of impact from a car accident can force these tissues to move in ways that are beyond a person’s usual range of motion.
Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury could include a concussion or other damage to the brain. Other similar head injuries may involve skull fractures or internal bleeding. These types of injuries may require extensive surgical procedures or medical care.
Back or Spinal Injury
Spinal injuries can be life-altering and lead to multiple medical procedures needed to correct the condition. An injured victim may suffer issues with mobility and a free range of movement.
Causes of Car Crash Injuries
The kind of injury you suffer in a car crash depends on factors such as speed, the type of vehicle, and the location of the impact.
Different types of crashes that could cause injuries or fatalities include:
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end accidents
- Side-impact collisions
- Rollovers
- Fires
These accidents can all cause different types of injuries. For example, a rear-end accident is more likely to result in whiplash than a side-impact collision.
What to Do After a Car Crash
If you are in a car crash, the most important thing to do is to seek medical attention without delay. For instance, if you experience neck or back pain, you should seek medical intervention even if you are able to get up and walk around after the crash. The longer you put off getting medical help, the more difficult it may become to assign liability.
You may want to take the following steps after a car accident:
Keep Your Medical Records
If you want to pursue financial recovery for your damages, then you should document the medical care you receive. This could include holding onto lab results, imaging scans, prescription medications, and other written information you get from your doctor. If possible, you may want to take photos of your injuries.
Obtain Other Documents
Your lawyer will be tasked with determining the value of your losses. By keeping your pay stubs, copies of the accident report, and insurance information, your legal team can assess your situation and assign a dollar amount to your losses. This can work to your advantage in negotiating with the insurance company.
Limit Communication With the Involved Parties
If you decide to seek legal representation for your personal injury case, then you may want to limit any correspondence with the at-fault party or the insurance company. Your attorney can engage with all relevant parties on your behalf so that you avoid pitfalls that could hurt your case.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers Can Help
If you or a loved one was injured in a car accident, then now is the time to get legal representation.
Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers offer full legal services for claimants who have been injured in a car crash. We can handle all communications with the involved parties, collect information that supports your claim, and negotiate for a settlement on your behalf.
Keep in mind that under Louisiana Civil Code Article 3492, you only have two years from the date of your accident to pursue legal action. Despite how much time has passed since your collision, we still want to hear from you.
To get started with a free case review, call Laborde Earles Injury Lawyers today at (337) 284-9548.
