Georgia Car Accident Lawyer- The 7 Most Common Injuries in Car Accidents

Georgia car accident lawyer discusses the 7 most common injuries seen in car crashes.
People are injured every day in car, truck and motorcycle accidents. The type and nature of any injury is dependent on the specific facts and dynamics of the crash. Over the years, we have noted 7 or so common injuries following a wreck:

1. Head Trauma: This occurs when the head strikes an object in or outside the vehicle. The head can be traumatized by the roof, windshield, side window, rear window, seats or steering wheel. Trauma to the head can cause a fracture to the bones of the skull or bleeding just under the skull.
2. Brain Trauma: Injury to the brain can be one of the most devastating injuries to a person after an accident and many times the injured person doesn’t realize it until months or years following the crash. The brain is suspended in the skull by fibrous tissue (ligaments) and is bathed in cerebral spinal fluid. If the victim’s head is jerked forward and backwards or hits a stationary object the brain can collide with the inside of the skull causing bruising and damage to nerve cells.
3. Whiplash: If a car is rear-ended, the quick, forceful impact can cause the occupant’s head to jerk backwards and forward. This may cause injury to the soft tissues of the neck (muscles, ligaments, discs). These folks can feel neck pain, arm pain, upper back pain and/or headaches.
4. Spinal Cord Injury: A spinal cord injury may lead to loss of function in the injured person’s arms and/or legs depending on the nature extent of damage to the spinal cord. Along with brain injuries, this is one of the most serious types of car accident injuries one may experience.
5. Upper Extremity Injury:– The shoulder, elbow, wrist or hand can be injured in accidents from either direct or indirect trauma. We typically see rotator cuff injuries, fractured forearms and wrist bones because the driver is holding onto the steering wheel or a passenger puts their hands on the dashboard to brace themselves during the crash.
6. Lower Extremity Injury: A person’s hips, knees, ankles or feet can be injured in an accident from blunt force trauma. We typically see knee injuries when folks’ knees are pushed into the dashboard, steering wheel or seat back. We see hip injuries from side impact and front impact collisions and ankle injuries when a person leg is jammed against the brake pedal or foot board.
7. Internal Injuries: If an accident is forceful, an occupant of the vehicle may experience injury to internal organs. For example, rib fractures can injure the lungs, heart or spleen.

Georgia personal injury law is complex. If you have any questions about a Georgia car accident that caused serious injury call our office at (762) 323-1460 or fill out the internet consultation form on the right.