Car accidents injure an estimated 2 million people in the United States every year. Estimates provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that car accidents are a major cause of injuries in our country. However, there are many different types of injuries you could suffer during and after a car accident. Some types of car accident injuries are less severe. Other types of injuries may result in millions of dollars in lifetime expenses.
What Are Possible Car Crash Injuries After an Accident?
You could suffer the following types of injuries immediately after a car accident:
- Spinal cord injuries. With a spinal cord injury, your vertebral column suffers damage that results in partial or total paralysis. The severity of a spinal cord injury depends on where along the spinal column the injury occurred and the extent of the damage. A complete C1 spinal cord injury would result in total paralysis below the neck. For young adults, the lifetime expenses of a complete C1 spinal cord injury may cost several million dollars.
- Traumatic brain injuries. Also called a TBI, a traumatic brain injury is another possible outcome after a car accident. Some TBIs are severe and may result in permanent disability, while others are less severe and only cause minor complications shortly after the accident. The area of the brain where the damage occurred also matters. Depending on the area, car crash survivors can suffer a wide range of post-crash complications. TBIs, especially severe ones, can also lead to millions of dollars in lifetime expenses.
- Burn injuries. Car collisions may ignite fires that burn vehicle occupants. Burns have varying degrees of severity. First-degree burns are minor and lead to very few if any complications. On the other hand, third-degree burns are very serious and can lead to amputations and disfigurement. Burns may also cause infections that lead to additional health problems.
What Are Common Delayed Car Accident Injuries?
Some car accident injuries may take hours, days or even weeks before becoming noticeable. In some cases, delayed car accident injuries can lead to permanent disability or death. You should always seek medical attention after a car accident so a doctor can help rule out post-crash injuries that may take a while to appear.
Delayed car accident injuries may include:
- Internal bleeding. Organs may bleed in the hours and days following an accident. However, internal bleeding can be fatal and is a very serious matter that requires medical attention. In other cases, internal bleeding may lead to a permanent disability.
- Whiplash injuries. This is a type of injury that may produce symptoms in the hours or days after an accident. Whiplash injuries are painful and may limit mobility, which could make returning to your occupation problematic.
- PTSD. Being in a car accident is a traumatic experience. For this reason, some survivors develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a debilitating mental health condition. PTSD can cause flashbacks, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, substance abuse and a higher risk of suicidality.
- Concussions. Although it is a type of TBI, a concussion may sometimes cause symptoms to persist for days, weeks or months after an accident. Dizziness, memory issues, fatigue and mental health problems are all possible symptoms you could experience even long after your accident occurred.
Do I Need a Dallas Car Accident Lawyer?
You should consider contacting a car accident lawyer if you believe negligence or reckless driving led to your crash and resulting injuries. It may be possible to recover compensation that can help pay for damages caused by your injuries. You would be able to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider, but there is no guarantee that you would receive enough compensation to cover your damages in full. It may be necessary to hire an attorney and file a lawsuit in court.
You would need to show that the other driver was negligent or reckless and that you suffered damages as a result. This is where it comes in handy to have an attorney, as he or she has experience collecting and utilizing evidence to meet this requirement. An attorney also knows how to negotiate settlements, try cases before a judge and jury, and can help you deal with insurance companies who refuse to pay adequate compensation.
Simply put, a car accident lawyer is your best bet for securing a settlement or verdict that can help you pay for damages caused by your injury. If you or a family member suffered a major injury, then it is even more important to have skilled legal assistance working on your behalf. Most people cannot afford the expenses associated with catastrophic injuries, such as a TBI, spinal cord injury or severe burn injury.
Compensation from a car accident claim or lawsuit could help pay for medical expenses, home modifications, medical equipment, home medical care, lost income and loss of future earnings. Pain and suffering damages may also be compensable.
About Our Dallas Car Accident Law Firm
The Law Office of Dorothy Hyde can help you with the process involved for negotiating a settlement or filing a lawsuit. Dallas car accident lawyer Dorothy Hyde will relentlessly pursue justice for her clients, and will do whatever it takes to ensure they are fairly compensated.
For a free consultation with our Dallas car accident law firm, call us at (214)883-1700 or use our online contact form.