Types of Car Accident Injuries

Examples of Car Accident Injuries

The injuries you suffer in a car accident, and the severity thereof, will depend on many factors, including the speed and direction of the vehicles involved at the time of the collision, as well as the type of collision itself. According to the National Safety Council, head-on collisions, for instance, only make up about 3.9% of all car crashes, but they account for 29.4% of all car accident fatalities.

Some common types of car accident injuries include the following:

Chest Bruises

Chest bruises are very common car accident injuries. When colliding with another vehicle, your body is thrown in the direction of the impact until you hit something. In a rear-end or head-on collision, your chest will likely hit your seat belt, steering wheel, or dashboard, whereas, in a side-impact or angle crash, your chest could hit your door or center console.

Chest bruises occur when a blunt impact breaks the blood vessels under your skin. Though they will cause painful swelling and discoloration, these bruises will usually heal on their own within a week or two.

Soft Tissue Injuries

Soft tissue injuries may sound minor, but they can leave you permanently disabled. 

Some common soft tissue injuries from car accidents are as follows:

• Torn tendons and muscles
• Ruptured ligaments
• Torn cartilage
• Herniated or bulging discs

These injuries often require reconstructive surgery to repair, and you may need physical therapy to rebuild some strength and flexibility after surgery. Even with the right treatment, however, you may continue to feel pain and stiffness for the rest of your life.

Broken Bones

The pressure your body experiences during a car collision can snap your bones. 

Some common fractures that can result from a crash can include any of the following:

• Facial fractures
• Dental fractures
• Broken wrist or arm
• Broken ankle or leg
• Fractured vertebrae

If the broken ends of the bone displace following the crash, a doctor may need to operate to realign them before immobilizing the bone with a cast. If the bone breaks into multiple pieces, doctors may stabilize the break with plates and screws. 

In general, broken bones can take anywhere from six weeks to one year to fully heal.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

When your brain is jostled during a car accident, it can suffer temporary or permanent damage as the result of any of the following injuries:

• Concussion
• Diffuse axonal injury (DAI)
• Cerebral contusion

Mild brain injuries can still cause a mix of physical and cognitive symptoms, such as headaches, dizziness, confusion, amnesia, and emotional outbursts. In contrast, a severe injury can lead to a coma or death.