FAST FACTS
- Americans spend more than 1 million collective days in the hospital every year due to injuries sustained from car wrecks
- More than 2.5 million Americans visited the emergency room after a car wreck in 2012
- About 60% of people who seek mental health treatment after a car wreck are consequently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder
Being involved in a car accident in South Florida can be a terrifying experience. You could suddenly be wondering how you will get around if your vehicle is badly damaged, and you may also be dealing with injuries, serious or otherwise. It’s rare that a car accident results in no injuries, even if it’s just a few scrapes and bruises or sore muscles. That’s because your body simply isn’t made to withstand these kinds of impacts.
In 2016, the Australian Transport Accident Commission collaborated with a panel of experts to figure out how the human body would need to be built in order to survive even the worst car accidents. What resulted is the crazy model named Graham. Though ridiculous, Graham demonstrates exactly how humans would have needed to evolve in order to endure the forces present during a car accident.
Since we have not evolved in this way, it’s important to know how being in a car wreck impacts every part of your body. Though seat belts, airbags and other features have made cars exponentially safer since the early days of automobiles, the fact remains that more than 33,000 people are killed in car crashes every year.
At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, our Miami car accident lawyers have seen how devastating even a seemingly minor collision can be. When you are involved in a car accident that’s not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation. Call us today at 800-431-6841 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.
1. TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES
One of the most common and potentially serious injuries you may sustain during a car accident is a traumatic brain injury. Though there are different types of traumatic brain injury, the most common is a closed injury, or concussion. This means the skin and bone of the head remain intact. Concussions may be classified as mild, moderate or severe.
There are plenty of symptoms of concussions, such as:
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Drowsiness or confusion
- Loss of consciousness
- Mood swings
- Blurred vision or slurred speech
And more. After a car accident, it’s always important to seek medical attention, especially if you believe you suffered a concussion.
2. WHIPLASH AND OTHER SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
Soft tissue injuries are any injuries that affect your body’s muscles, ligaments and tendons. Most often, these injuries are caused by overexertion of the connective tissues. After a car accident, the most common type of soft tissue injury is whiplash. This is caused by the connective tissue in the neck and upper back being suddenly stretched, such as your neck suddenly snapping forward and back if you’re rear-ended.
The good news is, whiplash often goes away on its own; symptoms can usually be treated with ice packs and painkillers. Symptoms to look out for include:
- Pain or numbness
- Inability to turn your head
- Dizziness or fatigue
- Ringing in the ears
- Blurred vision
- Sleep disturbances
And more. Though whiplash often goes away on its own, it’s still a good idea to get evaluated by your doctor. They may recommend you wear a neck brace or undergo under therapy to treat the injury.
3. BACK INJURIES
Even low-speed collisions can result in back injuries. These injuries can have a significant impact on your life. There are four types of common back injuries you may sustain after a car accident: thoracic spine injuries, lumbar spine injuries, herniated discs and/or spinal cord injuries.
Thoracic Spine Injuries
The thoracic section of the spine is the upper part of it, connecting the ribs and chest region. Because the thoracic section of the spine is responsible for so many vital functions, injuries to this region are often considered the most serious. Thoracic spine injuries may result in permanent nerve damage.
Lumbar Spine Injuries
The lumbar region of the spine is also known as the lower back. This region is responsible for the stability of the spine. As such, when muscles or ligaments are damaged in the lumbar region, the pain can be intense. You may have limited mobility and may not be able to perform your daily activities.
Herniated Discs
Herniated discs can happen anywhere along your spine after a car accident. This happens when the discs of cartilage between the vertebrae become displaced, causing pressure on the nerves that run through the spinal column. You may experience sharp pain or numbness in the legs if you have a herniated disc.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The above injuries happen to the soft tissue surrounding the spinal cord. When the spinal cord itself is damaged, the results are often severe. Depending on the injury, you may suffer partial or total paralysis, numbness, loss of certain bodily functions, and more. It may also result in secondary problems like blood clots and spinal fluid links.
4. POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Though injuries after car accidents are usually focused on their effects on the physical body, a serious car accident can also result in psychological problems as well. For those who seek mental health treatment after a car accident, about 60 percent are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD.
It can be difficult to diagnose PTSD or seek treatment for it if you aren’t sure what the symptoms are. Common symptoms of PTSD include:
- Anxiety when you face reminders of the wreck, such as hearing screeching tires or visiting the crash site again
- Feeling anxious whenever you drive
- Difficulty sleeping or concentrating, or feeling startled easily
- Avoiding common driving situations, such as driving on the highway or, in more extreme cases, avoiding certain maneuvers like making left turns
- Having nightmares or flashbacks of the wreck
- Developing a negative outlook on life
HOW A CAR ACCIDENT LAWYER IN MIAMI CAN HELP YOU GET THE COMPENSATION YOU DESERVE
Whether your injuries are physical, emotional or mental, you have the right to conversation if they were caused by a car accident that wasn’t your fault. At Steinger, Greene & Feiner, our car accident lawyers know how difficult this time in your life can be, especially if the insurance company won’t offer you a fair settlement for you injuries.
If you’ve been in a car accident in South Florida, give our experienced lawyers a call today at 800-431-6841 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation. We’ll review the details of your case and any settlement offer you’ve received from the insurance company and discuss whether or not we can get you a greater amount of compensation.