Boston Car Accident Common Injuries

Statistically, there are roughly 5.6 million car accidents reported in the United States each year. Of these, 1.6 million involved injuries.

If you have been injured in a car accident, you may have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver. With that in mind, it can be useful to know Boston car accident common injuries so that you will know what to look for after your accident.

Categories of Boston Car Accident Common Injuries

To get a good understanding of the different types of injuries that can occur during a car accident, we have broken down Boston car accident common injuries into four main categories:

• Head and chest injuries
• Neck and back injuries
• Psychological injuries
• All other kinds of injuries

Boston Car Accident Common Injuries: Head and Chest Injuries

Head Injuries
Some of the most common injuries that people suffer in car accidents are head injuries. These can range from a mild concussion to a traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Chest Injuries
Car accidents can cause extreme trauma to the chest area. The blunt force trauma from car accidents can lead to broken ribs and even collapsed lungs. Other injuries affecting the chest area include damage to the internal organs, heart failure in people with weak hearts, vocal cord paralysis, and more.

Boston Car Accident Common Injuries: Neck and Back Injuries

Neck Injuries
Neck injuries are incredibly common in car accidents because the jarring impact can cause the neck to suddenly jerk back and forth. These can be mild injuries such as whiplash or neck strain, but they can also be extremely serious and include injuries such as cervical radiculopathy.

Back Injuries
The jarring impact of a car accident places a great deal of torque on the driver and the passengers. This can lead to back injuries that include thoracic spine injuries, lumbar spine injuries, disc injuries, sprains, strains, fractures, paralysis, and any number of other debilitating injuries.

Boston Car Accident Common Injuries: Psychological Injuries

A traumatic car accident can have long-term impacts not just in the physical sense, but also in a psychological sense. After being involved in a serious car accident—and sometimes even minor ones—victims have been known to develop long-term psychological injuries such as emotional distress.

There have also been an increasing number of cases of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some victims have a very hard time getting back behind the wheel of a car, which can affect their quality of life and employment.

Boston Car Accident Common Injuries: Other Injuries

There are too many common car accident injuries to fully list. In many car accidents, there will be some sort of injury to one of the involved parties: broken bones, lacerations, ligament damage, torn muscles and tendons, and even severed limbs.

Additionally, there are thousands of fatalities each year in car accidents across the United States. In 2012 alone, 30,000 fatal accidents were recorded across the nation.

After an Accident: File an Accident Report

After a Boston car accident, you may suffer from a few Boston car accident common injuries. Even if your injuries do not fall into one of the four categories listed above, the post-accident procedure will be the same regardless.

The first thing to do is contact the police immediately so that an accident report can be filed. The officer who arrives at the scene will record his or her findings, including opinions on what caused the accident. If the other driver was at fault, make certain to point out how in your statement.

After an Accident: Seek Medical Attention

The second thing to do is to seek medical attention as soon as you are able. You may be in shock, so you may not even realize you are injured. Make certain to follow all the doctor’s instructions. If you seek financial compensation later, but didn’t appear to take your injuries seriously, it could hurt your case.

The physician will document your injuries and their extent, so be certain to mention any nonphysical symptoms you may be experiencing such as confusion, dizziness, or pain.

Get Representation from a Boston Attorney

Anytime you are injured in an accident caused by someone else, you should seek financial compensation. Even if your injuries don’t match any of the Boston car accident common injuries described here, our attorneys can still assist you.

Contact the Law Offices of Joel H. Schwartz by calling 617-742-1170. One of our experienced attorneys will evaluate your accident details and help you determine the best method to proceed in your case.