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Car accidents are jarring, scary experiences that can seriously injure you and your passengers. That damage may not be immediately visible; however, it can leave you feeling significant pain and possibly disabled if not treated properly. The Texas Department of Transportation reported 12,897 car crashes with serious injuries in 2019, with 15,843 people sustaining serious injuries. Serious car accident injuries occur because car accidents apply a great deal of pressure quickly to the body as two vehicles collide. The human body is not meant to take that amount of force and can be seriously injured by twisting and bending in ways it should not.

As such, it is important to know what injuries can happen during a car accident. The following are the most common car accident injuries:

Head Injuries

Concussion: During a car crash, you head is bounced around the car and can hit the wheel, windshield, side window, and/or headrest. The impact of your head hitting these hard objects can easily cause a concussion. Concussions are caused by your head being hit so hard that your brain moves inside your skull or bumps against the side of your skull. A concussion can cause memory loss, brain fog, a decrease in reaction time, severe headaches, and sensitivity to light and digital screens. Concussion symptoms do not always show up right away, so it is critical that you see a doctor immediately after a car crash to see if you are at risk for a concussion.

Traumatic Brain Injury: Traumatic brain injuries are caused by an impact or blow to the head, similar to the causes of a concussion, and can damage nerve cells and cause bleeding or swelling in the brain. This damage can change the way your brain functions and processes information and emotions. Traumatic brain injuries are mostly treatable but can cause significant physical, mental, and emotional stress. Recovery from a traumatic brain injury varies, but if not treated quickly by an experienced doctor, brain injury treatment can potentially be a lifelong process.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Bruising: Almost all car accidents cause some type of bruising. Whether it is your chest slamming into the seat belt or hitting your knee against the wheel of your car, bruises will show up after a car accident. Bruises are painful and you should seek medical attention if they are not healing properly or they are preventing you from performing routine movements.

Whiplash: Whiplash – one of the most common car accident injuries – is caused by a sudden backward and/or forward unnatural jerking motion of the head. Also known as neck sprain or strain, whiplash is characterized by a variety of symptoms that appear following severe damage to the neck. Symptoms of whiplash may not appear until 24 hours or more after the car accident. Whiplash victims may experience neck pain and stiffness, severe headaches, pain in the shoulders, lower back pain, numbness or pain in the hands, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, and insomnia. Whiplash should be diagnosed by a medical professional as soon as possible so that appropriate treatment can begin.

Internal Injuries

Broken and Fractured Bones: The impact of a car crash can cause your body to hit other parts of your car, which puts your body under stress it cannot handle. This can cause bones to fracture or break. Broken bones are very common car accident injuries and are rarely permanent or life-threatening. A doctor should evaluate the break/fracture and determine if it requires surgery. Broken bones do heal, however recovery time depends on the severity of the break.

Internal Bleeding: The impact from a car crash can cause significant damage to your internal organs including internal bleeding. Internal organ bleeding is very serious and requires emergency medical treatment to prevent death. If emergency personnel at the crash site suspect internal bleeding, they should immediately take you to an emergency room.

Mental Injury

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: After experiencing a traumatic event, such as a car accident, there is the potential to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. PTSD is serious and can cause the victim to experience fear of driving, negative reactions to sounds, images, or places associated with the car crash, or even anxiety and nightmares. After a car accident, if you find yourself having difficulty returning to normal life due to mental health issues, a psychologist or therapist should be consulted to help.

Houston Car Accident Attorneys

Car accidents are traumatizing and can leave you with serious injuries. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed in a Houston car accident, you may be entitled to financial compensation. Contact the personal injury trial attorneys at Adame Garza for a free consultation today. There is limited time to act following a Texas car accident, so don’t delay.