If you’ve ever been in an accident, then you know how frightening and painful it can be, and that will cause you to contact a car accident lawyer Atlanta, GA residents trust. Not only are you dealing with the damage to your own car, but you also have to deal with any injuries that result from the collision. Many people do not realize how common some car accident injuries are and end up mismanaging their recoveries as a result of it. To help you avoid being one of those people, here are the most common car accident injuries and how to take care of them after the fact; if you experience any of these injuries in an accident, contact Council & Associates, LLC for help with your case.
Whiplash
One of the most common injuries from a car accident is whiplash. Typically, whiplash occurs when the head is jerked back and forth or flipped forward and back rapidly. Whiplashes can be caused by a variety of factors, such as another driver rear-ending your vehicle, you being pulled over on your side in an accident, or any other type of forceful movement of the head. The result is that the spine may be displaced from its proper alignment. Neck muscles will spasm and become injured which will then lead to headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, dizziness, and many more problems. To prevent whiplash: always wear your seat belt; keep your arms straight; avoid falling asleep at the wheel; don’t drink alcohol before driving.
Back and Neck Pain
Car accident injuries can be difficult to recover from. Back pain is one of the most common injuries suffered after a car accident, and can keep you off your feet for months. One of the best ways to prevent back pain is by wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts distribute the force of an impact across your entire body, which protects your spine and keeps it from twisting or bending too much.
Shoulder Injury
A shoulder injury, such as a rotator cuff tear, is one of the most common injuries in a car accident. This type of injury can be caused by the force of an airbag deploying and hitting the arm. A shoulder tear can also happen if someone’s seatbelt is too tight or improperly positioned during the impact. The arm will then move forward and forcefully push against the seatbelt, causing it to cut into the arm. Another way for a shoulder tear to occur is if you are wearing your seatbelt incorrectly. If it’s too loose or not positioned correctly across your chest, it can cause your arms and shoulders to jerk back when you hit a solid object in front of you. Make sure t properly wear your seatbelt, but if you get into an accident, contact an Atlanta car accident lawyer immediately.
Wrist Injury
Wrist injuries are very common in a car accident. This is because when you collide with another car or object your hands are usually the first thing to contact the hard surface. You may be able to feel your wrist pop or hear a crunch as it bends and twists in an awkward way. If your hand is still clenching the steering wheel, gearshift, or seatbelt at this point, then you’ll likely sustain damage to one or more of these other areas as well. One of the most common ways for someone to injure their wrist in a car accident is if they were trying to break their fall by grabbing onto something with their hand. You may also injure your wrists if you brace yourself during the impact and put all of your weight on them.
The best way to avoid injuring yourself during a car accident that requires breaking would be to bend both knees and use them for leverage so that you can push up from underneath instead of pulling from above like we mentioned before. Also try not to grasp anything but air! The less contact points between the ground (or whatever) and any part of your body, including your wrists, the better off you’ll be!
Hip Injury
Hip injuries are common in car accidents because they often happen when the driver is rear-ended. Other causes of hip injury include steering wheel airbags, which can cause a driver’s hip to slam into the steering wheel. Hips may also be injured by being hit by the dash or back of the front seat. Hip injuries are especially dangerous because they can lead to serious complications like avascular necrosis, a condition that affects blood flow to the bone tissue and leads it to die. The most important thing you can do to prevent hip injuries from happening is wearing your seat belt. Your seatbelt will keep your hips from slamming into the steering wheel if you get rear-ended.
