Top Six Most Common Injuries from Auto Accidents
In one year, Michigan State Police recorded 293,341 crashes, causing 1,123 fatalities and at least 70,281 injuries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rank traffic crashes as one of the leading causes of death in the United States for people between the age of one and 54.
The statistics are shocking, and there is no question that automobile accidents can cause devastating physical and emotional consequences. At Mihelich & Kavanaugh, PLC, we’ve ranked the top six most common injuries that can occur following a Michigan car accident.
The Injuries
Although car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, there are specific injuries that tend to appear more often than others. These are the top six most common injuries that can result from a Macomb County auto accident:
Traumatic Brain Injury
A traumatic brain injury is an injury that interrupts normal brain functions or activity. Traumatic brain injury is often the result of a violent jolt or impact on the head. The sudden force of this impact sends the brain rushing to the front of the skull, potentially colliding with the inside, causing bleeding, swelling, and tissue damage. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention list motor vehicle crashes are one of the most common ways a person gets a traumatic brain injury.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a neck injury caused by a sudden force jerking the neck forward and backward. This rapid acceleration and deceleration can injure the muscles, nerves, tendons, and discs in the neck, causing pain and a loss of mobility. Whiplash can occur, even at reduced speeds, and is often a common complaint following rear-end collision accidents. Some studies indicate as many as 869,000 cervical spine injuries, including whiplash, are seen in U.S. hospitals annually.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The spine’s vertebrae protect a bundle of nerves called the spinal cord. The spinal cord helps deliver messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Unfortunately, the extreme force present in violent car accidents can cause significant damage to the spine and spinal cord, causing life-altering consequences like paralysis.
Broken Bones
Bones are strong, but the force of a car accident is often much stronger. Bones are easily broken and shattered in a collision. Arms, legs, fingers, and ribs are the bones most often broken in vehicle crashes. Ribs easily crack and break when the chest comes into contact with the steering wheel or steering column. Legs, ankles, and knees can break in head-on collisions or crashes where there is extensive damage to the front of a vehicle, collapsing metal onto the lower half of a person’s body. Arms and fingers are vulnerable to numerous impacts, especially side-impact, head-on, or rollover crashes.
Dislocations
The force of a car accident can also lead to dislocations or injuries involving the separation of two bones where they meet at a joint. Dislocated arms and shoulders are the most common. Improperly wearing a seatbelt can cause dislocation injuries. Drivers and front-seat passengers risk knee dislocations when knees or legs collide with the underside of the dash.
Soft Tissue Injuries
Soft tissue injuries are widespread in car accidents. Soft tissue injuries are damage caused to the body’s muscles, ligaments, and tendons and include strains, sprains, tendonitis, bursitis, and contusions.
Contact a Michigan Auto Accident Lawyer Today
Has a careless driver injured you in a Michigan auto accident? Discuss your case with the personal injury lawyers at Mihelich & Kavanaugh, PLC as soon as possible. We want to help you maximize your compensation. Contact us online or call our Shelby Township office today at 586-884-6562 to arrange a legal consultation with a car accident lawyer.
