Common Injuries Involved in Car Accidents

Common Injuries Involved in Car Accidents

Car accidents happen all the time in Philadelphia. Some result in only minor injuries, while others leave victims with significant, life-changing harm. The Levin Firm knows all about common car accident injuries in Philadelphia, and we know how difficult it can be to get the money you need when someone else has harmed you.

We are here for you. Call our office today for a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Philadelphia car accident lawyers and discover your legal options.

Whiplash and Neck Injuries

Whiplash is a common auto accident injury in Philadelphia. Although whiplash occurs in rear-end crashes, other types of crashes can leave injured people with whiplash, as well. 

Whiplash is a sprain or strain of the neck, as are many other types of neck injuries. Symptoms of neck sprains and strains include pain and stiffness, loss of range of motion, headaches at the base of the skull, fatigue, and dizziness. Symptoms may resolve with pain medicine and exercise. 

However, people who experience more severe complications, such as blurred vision, ringing in the ears, memory problems, or difficulty focusing, may require additional treatment under a healthcare professional’s supervision.

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)

Traumatic brain injuries result from an outside force hitting the head or damaging the brain. TBIs can range from mild to severe. In a Philadelphia car accident, TBIs can happen when someone hits their head on some part of the vehicle they’re riding in (blunt TBI) or when shrapnel from the damaged vehicle pierces the skull and enters the brain (penetrating TBI).

TBIs are mild, moderate, or severe. Most TBIs are mild, but even these can leave a person with long-term issues. Symptoms include the following:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Headaches
• Dizziness or balance problems
• Confusion
• Short-term memory loss
• Changes in sleep habits
• Anxiety

Moderate and severe TBIs are medical emergencies. Symptoms include the following:

• Loss of consciousness
• Issues with hearing or vision
• Communication difficulty
• Inability to concentrate
• Coordination problems
• Altered sensory perception
• Impulsiveness
• Aggressiveness

Despite the listed symptoms, any TBI can cause problems with thinking and memory as well as emotional or social changes. Severe TBIs can result in permanent brain damage and disability, seizures, or brain bleeds. 

Treatment for mild TBIs can include rest, over-the-counter medication, and regular check-ups. A victim may need surgery for moderate to severe TBIs. Prescription medication may also be necessary, as may post-surgical rehabilitation.

Back and Spinal Cord Injuries

The collision of two vehicles can wreak havoc on the bodies of the occupants. Philadelphia car accidents often result in herniated discs, spinal fractures, and spinal cord injuries. 

Herniated discs are ruptures in the sacs (discs) that sit between and cushion the bony vertebrae. These injuries can cause arm or leg pain, numbness, and tingling. If pain, numbness, or weakness worsen, the injured party may need medical attention.

Spinal fractures from car crashes can be compression fractures or burst fractures. Compression fractures are small breaks in the vertebrae, while burst fractures occur when such force compresses a vertebra that it breaks into pieces. Common symptoms are back pain, tenderness, tingling or numbness, and changes to the injured person’s posture. Back braces and physical therapy are often the best treatment methods for spinal fractures, but sometimes, surgery may be required.

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are an entirely different type of problem. The spinal cord is a bundle of nerve fibers that allows your brain to communicate with the nerves elsewhere in your body. SCIs can be either incomplete or complete. A complete SCI means a permanent loss of all abilities below the injury, while an incomplete SCI means that some functions remain. 

SCIs are organized by location. A cervical spine SCI can be anywhere between the bottom of the skull and the shoulder level, while a thoracic spine SCI will be between the upper back and the navel. A lumbar spine SCI is in the lower back.

SCIs can produce pain, numbness, and tingling, but in a complete SCI, paralysis is the most likely result. Treatments for incomplete SCIs include surgery, medication, traction, and supportive devices like halos. 

Soft Tissue Injuries

The most common injuries in car accidents are sprains, strains, and bruises: soft tissue injuries. Any Philadelphia car crash can leave vehicle occupants sore with these types of injuries, even low-speed fender-benders. 

Overstretched or torn muscles are “strained.” Sprains are tears in ligaments that connect and stabilize the muscles and bones in a joint. Bruises can occur when blood vessels are broken, whether beneath the skin or within muscles.

A first-degree sprain or strain means the tissue is not torn. A second-degree injury is a partial tear. A third-degree injury is a complete tear. First and second-degree injuries can heal with time, but third-degree sprains or strains may require surgery.

Muscle contusions can heal on their own, but a serious one may result in severe swelling. Complications could include blood vessel damage or mild nerve damage.

Broken Bones and Fractures

Fractures are a typical consequence of a motor vehicle collision. Breaks can be straight or uneven. They can be open or closed. Straightforward closed breaks can be treated with traction, if required, to get the bones into position, and with casts. An open fracture may require more in-depth care, including surgery during which the wound is cleansed, and internal fixation, such as rods, pins, plates, or screws, may be inserted to keep the bone together.

Some fractures require external fixation as a temporary measure to stabilize the fracture before internal fixation surgery. 

Internal Organ Injuries

Injuries from car accidents in Philadelphia can include organ damage and internal bleeding. Two types of injuries usually cause internal damage: blunt force trauma and penetrating injuries. 

Blunt force trauma is most common. When the body suddenly decelerates during an accident, organs can collide with other organs or the body cavity. Tearing, bruising, or organ ruptures can result. When debris or shattered glass from the accident pierces the body, organs can be damaged. 

In addition to the brain and spinal cord, other organs frequently injured in motor vehicle crashes are the lungs, heart, spleen, liver, kidneys, intestines, and stomach. Injuries to any of these organs can lead to internal bleeding, and in the case of the intestines and stomach, if the contents leak into the abdominal cavity, peritonitis and sepsis can result.

Symptoms like abdominal or chest pain, unexplained bruising, blood in the urine or stool, signs of shock, or weakness and numbness require immediate medical attention. Treatments range from close monitoring to surgical intervention.

Facial Injuries and Dental Trauma

Facial trauma in a car crash can leave a victim with damaged nerves, impaired senses, and disfigurement. Fractures are common and can include the jaw and teeth. Midface fractures can include the following:

• LeFort I fracture, above the teeth and beneath the nose
• LeFort II fracture, from the lower edge of the eye socket across the bridge of the nose, down through the cheekbone into the upper jaw behind the back upper teeth
• Lefort III fracture, a horizontal line across the back of the eye sockets

A broken eye socket could include the following:

• Orbital rim fracture in the outer edges of the eye socket bone
• Orbital floor fracture in the bone at the bottom of the eye socket

Soft tissue injuries can include torn skin, cuts and scrapes, facial burns, nerve damage, tongue lacerations, or damage to the salivary glands.

Some of these injuries can lead to airway damage, internal bleeding, eye injuries, and neurological problems. Significant facial and dental injuries may require plastic or reconstructive surgery.

Psychological and Emotional Injuries

The psychological trauma after a Philadelphia collision can be significant. Diagnoses of PTSD, acute stress disorder, and anxiety and depression after a crash are common. 

PTSD symptoms may include flashbacks, intrusive memories, anxiety, and sleep disturbances. The condition can develop immediately or months or years after the crash. Acute stress disorder is a short-term condition that can last several days up to a month. If symptoms persist, the disorder may grow into PTSD. Anxiety and depression symptoms can include fear of driving, feelings of helplessness, and heightened anxiety after the crash. 

The severity of the condition depends on the extent of the accident, the individual’s personal history, and the support systems available to them. Anyone with these conditions could seek professional help and engage in self-care. Support groups could also be useful.

Seatbelt and Airbag Injuries

Types of car accident injuries in Philadelphia include seatbelt and airbag injuries. Common seatbelt injuries are internal injuries that result when the seatbelt transfers significant force to the abdomen or chest during the accident.

Airbag injuries can include facial injuries, chest impact injuries, fractures, TBIs, burns, eye injuries, internal bleeding, and asthma attacks. For all such injuries, the injured person should seek immediate medical care.

Long-Term Injuries and Chronic Pain Conditions

Some Philadelphia car accidents can leave injured victims with long-term injuries like PTSD, paraplegia, quadriplegia, or permanent brain damage. Other people may have suffered back injuries or fractures that result in chronic pain that requires medical management. Not all auto accident injuries heal completely.

Contact Our Philadelphia Car Accident Lawyers Today

If you were injured in a Philadelphia car crash that someone else caused, call The Levin Firm today. We have decades of experience helping injured people obtain the compensation they deserve from car accident injury claims filed against the at-fault party’s insurance company. Here at The Levin Firm, we have only one goal: making sure you are fully compensated for all the harm done to you. 

Call our office today for a free, fully confidential consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer and discover your legal options.