Common Medical Complications Following Car Accidents

Sadly, car accidents claim thousands of lives every year and many of them are preventable. 

Almost all of the fatalities caused by car accidents are secondary to injuries and traumas sustained during the incidents themselves. The exact injuries sustained in a car accident depend on the type of the accident, severity of the accident, and the forces exerted on particular areas of your body.

If you’ve sustained injuries in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you must contact a lawyer at Lamber Goodnow in Tucson. You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, trauma, and financial losses resulting from lost wages and medical bills.

Some medical complications are more common than others following car accidents. In this article, we will discuss the most common medical issues that people face when they’ve been injured in an accident on the roads.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

Traumatic brain injuries or traumatic head injuries are very common following road traffic incidents. When a collision occurs at high speed, the body and head are often thrown forward.

The high force exertion on the neck and head can cause the brain to collide with the skull at high speed, resulting in potential injuries. TBIs may only be temporary but they can also cause permanent damage to the affected areas of the brain.

For this reason, it’s essential to seek medical attention immediately if you have been in a high-speed collision. According to professionals at accident clinic Hollywood, this is particularly important if your head or neck is painful, swollen, or bleeding, or if you’re having trouble speaking properly.

Medical professionals will perform the necessary tests and scans to rule out or diagnose a traumatic brain injury. If you are diagnosed with a TBI, your doctor will provide prompt treatment to minimize the risk of long-term complications.

Whiplash

The cause of whiplash is similar in nature to the cause of TBIs in that it results from trauma to the head and neck when they’re thrown around in a car accident. However, it’s less severe than a TBI.

In whiplash, the head is forced to move at a rate it wouldn’t naturally move at, and this causes pain, chronic headaches or migraines, and fatigue. It can also cause more serious side effects like dizziness and fainting in severe cases.

Painkillers, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are usually suitable to treat the symptoms of whiplash. However, if symptoms persist for several weeks and worsen in severity, further complications may need checking out.

Fractures and Sprains

The bones are tough, but they’re not invincible. They can easily get broken in a high-speed collision on the roads.

Fractures and sprains are some of the most common injuries that occur after car accidents. They can vary in severity, depending on where the bone is hit and how much force is exerted on it. The most common injuries are hip, wrist, ankle, rib, and spinal cord fractures.

If you suspect that you’ve sprained a bone or there’s a clear fracture, you must seek immediate medical attention. You’ll need an x-ray to confirm the location and severity of the fracture and to receive appropriate treatment.

Psychological Trauma

Psychological trauma resulting from car accidents can have profound and long-lasting effects on your mental and emotional well-health. Even minor accidents can trigger a range of emotional responses, although more severe collisions tend to lead to severe psychological distress.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a traumatic event, such as a car accident. It can lead to a range of negative symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, nightmares, mood swings, and emotional detachment, that can impact you for the rest of your life.

Psychological trauma can affect all aspects of your daily living. It may cause you to find work difficult or struggle in your personal life. Over time, it could start to impact your quality of life.

Professional support is often helpful in the treatment of psychological trauma, including things like counseling and cognitive-behavioral therapy. For some, chatting with friends and family is more effective and provides more comfort than professional therapies.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries include damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and can result in sprains, strains, and contusions. They can be extremely painful and disruptive to your daily living, and often occur due to the sudden impact or jolting motion during a collision, causing strain or tears in these delicate structures.

Soft tissue injuries may not be immediately apparent, and symptoms can take several hours or even days to appear. You might experience swelling, tenderness, stiffness, limited range of motion, and difficulty completing your daily tasks.

You’ll need immediate medical attention and may require long-term physical therapy or rehabilitation sessions if the soft tissue injuries have limited your usual movement patterns.

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