Common Injuries After Atlanta Car Accidents and What They Mean for Your Claim

Car accidents can result in a wide range of injuries and medical conditions, depending on the nature and severity of the accident. Some injuries may be immediately obvious while others may develop more slowly over time. This can be confusing if you have been in a car accident, as you may not be sure whether the symptoms you are feeling are actually related to your accident or from some other mysterious cause. You may doubt yourself and be reluctant to seek medical advice or treatment. 

But it is important to know that you are not alone. In fact, many common injuries from car accidents don’t appear instantaneously but require careful medical evaluation. Below are some of the most common car accident injuries and what they mean for a car accident claim.

Impact and Penetrating Injuries 

Car accident injuries tend to fall into two categories: impact injuries and penetrating injuries. Impact injuries occur when your body collides with the interior of the vehicle—for example, bruising from an arm hitting a steering wheel. Penetrating injuries occur when some part of the vehicle, or a foreign object from outside the vehicle, strikes you during an accident. Penetrating injuries often occur from broken glass during a car accident. 

Both impact and penetrating injuries can be severe, and both can result in significant settlements for your car accident claim if they lead to permanent or long-lasting damage. 

Common Impact Injuries

Impact injuries can cause immediate symptoms like pain and bruising. Broken bones, including broken ribs,s are also often the result of impact with the vehicle, particularly if your body is thrown around during an accident. Broken ribs can also occur when an airbag deploys and hits your body with significant force. While most broken bones will heal with time and surgery, some injuries, such as a broken hip, may take multiple surgeries and months of recovery. 

Whiplash

Whiplash is another common impact injury that occurs when your head and neck are suddenly moved during an accident. Even a minor rear-ending accident can result in your head and neck being unnaturally thrown forward, leading to strain and injury to the muscles and ligaments in the neck area. 

Whiplash can take several days to manifest fully and may lead to neck pain, stiffness, loss of motion in your head and neck, nerve damage, concussions, headaches, and dizziness. And because whiplash may not show up on an X-ray or in a medical evaluation immediately after an accident, it is important to report any pain or symptoms to a doctor as soon as possible after they begin to appear.

Concussions and Brain Injuries

Concussions and brain injuries often occur when your head makes impact with your vehicle during an accident. You may hit the side of the car or the windshield due to the force of the collision. While concussions typically go away within a week or two, brain injuries, including traumatic brain injuries, can result in lifelong consequences and permanent damage.

Like whiplash, brain injuries may have a delayed onset of symptoms. But if you begin to experience headaches, dizziness, confusion, mood changes, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, or blurred vision, it is very important to seek medical treatment as soon as possible. 

Back Injuries

Impact injuries can also occur to your back as a result of force or twisting during an accident. One common form of back injury after a car accident is a herniated disc. These injuries can lead not only to severe back pain but also impact your overall mobility and even lead to chronic disability or paralysis. You may experience numbness in your legs or an inability to participate in hobbies you once enjoyed. 

Common Penetration Injuries

Penetration injuries include cuts and lacerations from broken glass or pieces of your vehicle penetrating your skin. Depending on the nature of the cut, stitches may be required, and your mobility may be limited during recovery or even permanently. Penetration injuries can also arise from burns if your body comes into contact with a hot part of the vehicle or dangerous chemicals. 

While penetration injuries may seem minor compared to severe impact injuries, they can have consequences that lead to significant settlements. For example, severe cuts or burns can result in permanent scarring or permanent limitations on activities. And severe cuts may also lead to internal bleeding and other internal injuries. 

Proving Your Injuries

If you experience any of these injuries, it is important to carefully document your symptoms and treatment for purposes of your car accident claim. To obtain compensation for your injuries, you must be able to prove that the crash actually caused them. An experienced Atlanta car accident attorney can help you evaluate the evidence that might be necessary for your claim, but common forms of proof include:

• Medical records, including emergency room and hospital records that document immediate injuries that occurred at the time of the accident
• Diagnostic images, such as MRIs or CT scans, provide time-stamped proof of many impact injuries, such as broken bones or herniated discs. 
• Medical opinions from your doctor explaining the timeline of your injuries, as well as their opinions that your accident caused the injuries, and the likely future treatment that will be needed.
• Witness statements from third parties who may have observed your injuries or symptoms.
• Personal documentation, like a journal or planner, that documents the symptoms that you are experiencing

If you’re uncertain whether you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries or what documentation you may need to provide for your car accident claim, the Atlanta car accident attorneys at Mabra Law can help. We provide support and legal representation to individuals suffering from all types of car accident injuries and can assist you in evaluating your claim. For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact us today.