Car accidents occur on Kentucky roads every day, and some result in serious injuries. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that around 3 million vehicle accidents in the U.S. involve injuries every year. Physical harm from vehicle accidents can range from mild to severe, and while the circumstances vary, several common types may occur.
Whiplash
Soft tissue injuries, which damage the muscle’s connective tissue, occur more frequently than other injuries. Whiplash is an example of a soft tissue injury resulting from the violent jerking of the head forward and backward beyond the limits of the muscles.
While whiplash seldom causes permanent injury, the signs may not appear for several days. Some common signs include stiff neck muscles; shoulder, arm or upper back tenderness; reduced range of motion in the neck area; dizziness or fatigue; and headaches that begin at the neck base.
Traumatic brain injuries
Head injuries may be more serious or life-threatening without treatment. The sudden stopping of the vehicle often causes the driver’s or passenger’s body to make unnatural movements, such as bumping the steering wheel or dashboard.
The bumps, scrapes and lacerations could cause traumatic brain injury leading to difficulty sleeping, dizziness, fatigue, memory loss and headaches. However, a TBI does not have to involve cuts and bruises.
Concussions
Concussions could also occur from a hard head bump, but they are a milder form of TBI. As with other vehicle injuries, symptoms may take time to appear, impacting a person’s balance and speech, or present no symptoms.
Other signs may include brief loss of consciousness, confusion, nausea, vomiting and ear ringing. Post-concussion syndrome appears in some people after a vehicle crash, meaning the symptoms extend beyond the usual recovery period.
Motor vehicle accidents can have a lasting impact on the victims. For this reason, injured parties may seek compensation from responsible parties with the help of a lawyer.