Car accidents can result in anything from mild to permanent and life-changing injuries. Since medical expenses are usually among the largest categories of damages, it’s essential that you have the assistance of an experienced Greenville car accident lawyer.
At Upstate Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, we understand how to make the strongest possible case for the most compensation available. Find out why so many Greenville, SC, car accident victims trust us to fight for them by contacting our office today.
What Are the Most Common Injuries From a Car Accident?
Even if you think you haven’t been injured or weren’t hurt too badly, check with a physician so you don’t risk your health and well-being.
These are some of the most common car accident injuries that a medical evaluation may uncover:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
A TBI is more than an injury to the head. It is a significant disruption in the normal activity and functioning of the brain, resulting from major physical trauma.
TBI symptoms are not always immediately evident and could manifest from days to months. Alternatively, the symptoms may be minor at first but worsen over time.
You or a loved one may have a TBI from a car accident if any of the following are present:
- Severe, recurring headaches
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Trouble concentrating
- Slurred speech
- Chronic pain
- Personality changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
Spinal cord injuries
These are caused by direct injury to the spinal cord or damage to the bones (vertebrae) and tissue surrounding it. Spinal cord injuries are usually incomplete or complete, depending on whether the victim retains sensory perception, feeling, and ability to control movement below the point of injury.
The victim may have quadriplegia (paralysis affecting all four limbs and most of the body) or paraplegia (paralysis in the legs and lower body).
Beware of the following signs:
- Numbness, tingling, changes in, or loss of sensation in the extremities
- Paralysis that is immediate or that gradually develops
- Pressure or pain in the head, neck, or back
- Unnatural positions of the head or spine
- Difficulty with or loss of movement, including walking
- Weakness
- Trouble breathing
- Loss of bowel and bladder control
- Sexual dysfunction
Whiplash
Whiplash is an injury caused by the neck’s rapid back-and-forth movement. It affects the soft tissue in the neck but may also injure the spine, spinal discs, joints, and ligaments. Whiplash can damage the entire neck region and (in some cases) arteries, eyes, and the head and brain.
The quick and forceful movement of the head and neck area, plus sudden overstretching, can damage the above body parts.
A victim with whiplash from a car accident may experience:
- Neck pain, tenderness, and stiffness
- Limited neck movement
- Swelling and muscle spasms in the neck
- Shoulder, back, and arm pain
- Headaches
- Jaw pain
- Ear ringing
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness
Broken bones
Suffering broken bones from a car accident is relatively common, but the pain and disruption to one’s life are often underestimated. Even minor fractures requiring a cast could make daily activities, including work, more difficult. Serious compound fractures may require surgery for proper healing.
Because these are among the most common car accident injuries, it’s a good idea to know some of the various types of broken bones:
- Stress/hairline fracture: Results from a small crack in the bone that could go unnoticed for a long time.
- Transverse fracture: The break runs straight across the bone.
- Greenstick fracture: An incomplete fracture in which one side of the bone bends while the other breaks.
- Comminuted fracture: Occurs when the bone breaks into several pieces.
Internal bleeding
Internal bleeding is dangerous because it is both deadly and difficult to detect. It may also indicate significant damage to an organ that could be life-threatening. If you experience any of the following, see a doctor immediately:
- Dark purple skin
- Swelling
- Severe headaches or migraines
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Stomach pain
- Seizures
Emotional and mental trauma
Not all injuries are physical. Emotional and mental trauma are some of the most common car accident injuries — and often the most misunderstood.
Because of the shock and horror that often accompany automobile wrecks, victims may suffer post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, behavioral changes, and much more. Any trauma resulting from a car accident could cause nightmares, insomnia, lost work productivity, loss of enjoyment of life, and more.
What Kinds of Injury Compensation Can You Get From a Car Accident?
The above are a few of the most common auto accident injuries but by no means the only ones.
Be sure to let your attorney know exactly which medical issues you have.
Victims may seek past, present, and future medical bills to cover ambulance care, emergency medical surgery, hospitalization, and prescription medication. Compensation for temporary and total disability is also possible, with victims requiring adaptive medical equipment or physical therapy. Counseling or treatment may be needed to deal with emotional and mental injuries.
Lost time from work is likely when the victim recovers and attends medical appointments. If the victim’s work is based on physical labor, a car accident could spell the end of a once-promising career and the benefits that went with it. Regardless of which industry the victim works in, they may experience lost income-earning capacity, which may also be compensated.
If You Suffered an Injury in a Car Accident, Act Now
If you’ve suffered any of the above most common car accident injuries, you only have a limited time to seek damages. Waiting too long risks losing evidence and running up against the statute of limitations, which, in South Carolina, is three years after the accident. Going past that point in time will forever bar you from seeking recovery.
To get started now with your claim, reach out to Upstate Personal Injury Lawyers, LLC, and now speak with a car accident lawyer in Greenville.
