subject: What Are The Most Common Injuries Suffered As A Result Of A Car Accident [print this page] Whilst they revolutionised the modern world, cars are not indestructible and are susceptible to serious accidents statistics show that in the United States, there were over 6,420,000 automobile accidents in 2005, with over 42,000 fatalities.
This is not to say that every car crash will be fatal for those in the car quite often, the injuries sustained can be relatively minor and the car can be walked away from; however if you have been in a car accident, it is vital to see a doctor to ensure that you have not suffered any injury, no matter how minor it may have been.
Some of the most common injuries suffered as a result of car accidents are to the head and neck whilst the body is held stationary against the seat, the head is relatively unrestricted, and with a number of people having incorrectly positioned headrests, the danger posed to this area is quite high.
Brain injuries, skull fractures and bruises are usually a result of side-on accidents due to a quick acceleration and deceleration of the brain, which can lead to a number of injuries such as concussion, memory loss, brain damage or at worst, death. Such injuries should be given major priority and victims will be x-rayed or placed in a MRI scanner to look for any damages.
Also affected in this category is the jaw, which can become dislodged in a violent condition and if the Temporalmandibular joint is affected, this can cause problems with eating and speech may sound different. Again, such cases should be referred to doctors for medical advice.
Perhaps the most widespread injury in this category is whiplash, which, whilst not fatal, can cause long-term effects if left without diagnosis. Whiplash causes neck and back pain and can make head mobility painful, affecting all aspects of daily life whilst symptoms can often disappear after a few weeks, more serious cases will require physical therapy. Whiplash tends to affect women more than men due to weaker neck muscles; however is common for all types.
Whiplash is usually caused by rear-end collision, but can occur in all types where the head is thrown backwards then suddenly forwards. Research has shown that an injury of this sort generally takes around 32 days for recovery, but this will not apply for all and it is vital that victims speak to a doctor to identify the injury and any other possible problems as a result of the accident.
