The Top 5 Car Crash Injuries
The attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman have represented clients harmed by car accidents throughout Delaware. We help clients like you recover compensation after another driver has caused you injuries. To learn more, schedule an appointment in our Wilmington, Newark or Seaford offices.
Here on the roads and highways in Delaware, we have thousands of cars and drivers. Unfortunately, car accidents are a side effect of that travel for many of us. Some might be what we call “fender benders” – a misnomer given how seriously injured you can be – but some are truly catastrophic. You can suffer injury to just about every part of your body, depending on the circumstances of the accident.
Collisions can cause great trauma, both physical and emotional, and this is especially true when the accident wasn’t your fault. Victims of vehicle crashes usually exhibit common injuries. If you’re in an accident, here are some injuries you should look out for in yourself and loved ones.
- Whiplash. Typically the most common car accident injury, whiplash occurs when the head is rapidly whipped forward and backward when a car is hit or hits a stationary object. People usually suffer whiplash when their car is rear-ended, but it can happen in any number of ways. This injury damages muscles and tendons in the neck and shoulder area, resulting in pain, stiffness, and difficulties in movement. Serious cases of whiplash can even cause traumatic brain injury. Whiplash either resolves on its own or results in long-term chronic pain.
- Back injuries. Many auto accident victims also suffer back injuries. These can include sprains, strains, herniated discs, or fractured vertebrae. After car accidents, the majority of back injuries tend to manifest in the lower back, leaving the patient with chronic pain or limited range of motion. With some people, back pain can be treated with physical therapy and medication like anti-inflammatories, but some may need more invasive procedures like surgery.
- Head injuries. Head injuries from car wrecks can range from a simple bump on the head to a concussion to traumatic brain injury (TBI). When the head is hit hard enough, or whipped back and forth hard enough, to jostle the brain around in the skull, a TBI can occur. These range from mild to severe, and patients can have effects ranging from a headache to more serious symptoms like cognitive difficulties or even coma.
- Broken bones. Another common injury from car accidents is broken or fractured bones. The impact from a crash can break wrists, arms, collarbones, knees, legs, or feet. Injuries are treated according to their severity—splinting, casting, or surgery. Breaks can heal on their own without incident or cause years of pain or develop arthritis.
- Spinal cord injuries. Spinal cord injuries can range from serious to catastrophic. These injuries interrupt signals to the brain and, depending where on the spinal cord the injury occurs, the patient could suffer from partial to full paralysis. Typically, spinal cord injuries are long-lasting and life-changing.
If you suffer injury in a car accident, talk to the attorneys at Silverman, McDonald & Friedman. We will fight for your right to compensation for your damages. Our legal team serves clients in the Wilmington, Seaford, and Newark areas. Call 302-888-2900 or fill out our contact form today.
Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.