Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers | January 6, 2025 | Car Accidents
Car accidents are an unfortunate reality in today’s world, especially in bustling cities like New York.
With its dense population, heavy traffic, and challenging road conditions, accidents can happen to even the most cautious drivers. When they do, injuries often follow, some minor, others life-altering. Understanding the types of injuries that can result from car accidents is crucial for victims seeking medical attention and legal guidance.
Whiplash
Some of the most common injuries in car crashes involve the soft tissues of the neck and upper body. A type of neck strain called whiplash happens when the neck jerks back and forth violently in a sudden impact.
Whiplash is most often seen in rear-end collisions because the force of the crash moves the body forward while the head lags behind. Sudden braking can also strain the muscles, ligaments, and tendons in the neck.
Symptoms of whiplash include:
- Neck pain and stiffness
- Reduced range of motion
- Headaches (often originating at the base of the skull)
- Shoulder or upper back pain
Whiplash is generally considered a minor injury, but it can still lead to chronic pain if it’s not treated properly.
Head Trauma
Head injuries are particularly concerning because they often have life-altering effects. They can range from mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), and the impacts are just as varied.
Most often, brain injuries occur when a crash victim’s head hits the steering wheel, dashboard, or window. Trauma can likewise result if the brain is otherwise violently shaken or jarred inside the skull during a collision.
Head injuries require immediate medical attention. In severe cases, long-term rehab or surgery might also be necessary.
Spinal Cord and Back Injuries
The spine is extremely vulnerable in car accidents, and damage to this area can be devastating. Spine injuries can include everything from herniated discs to a complete severing of the spinal cord, leading to paralysis.
High-speed impacts can compress, twist, or fracture the spine, and rollovers or T-bone crashes can generate more than enough force to injure the back. Victims of spinal injuries often face lengthy recovery periods, intensive physical therapy, and sometimes permanent disability.
Chest Trauma
Chest injuries are common in car accidents and are seen most often in the driver and front-seat passengers. The chest area can take a heavy blow in a crash when it collides with the steering wheel or dashboard. Even the protective seat belt or airbag can bruise or break a rib.
Chest injuries can include:
- Rib Fractures: Broken ribs can puncture internal organs, creating a life-threatening situation
- Organ Damage: The heart, lungs, or other vital organs can be bruised or punctured
- Seat Belt Injuries: While seat belts save lives, they can also cause bruises, fractures, or internal injuries when they immobilize the body in a collision
Prompt medical attention is essential for chest injuries so the internal damage can be found and treated.
Burns
Burn injuries are particularly devastating and often arise from vehicle fires or exposure to hot fluids like leaking oil or coolant during an accident.
There are four types of burns:
- First-Degree Burns: Affect the outer layer of the skin
- Second-Degree Burns: Damage deeper layers of skin, causing blisters and severe pain
- Third-Degree Burns: Destroy all layers of skin and may require skin grafts
- Fourth-Degree Burns: Destroy the skin and damage the underlying muscle, bone, and nerve endings
Because of their nature, burns can lead to severe scarring, infections, and long-term physical and psychological challenges, even when they’re treated quickly.
Facial Injuries
Injuries to the face are also common after car accidents. Vehicles contain many surfaces that a passenger’s face can impact, such as the airbag, windshield, steering wheel, and side window. Similarly, flying debris and broken glass can cause cuts, scrapes, bruises, or fractures.
Generally, injuries to the face involve:
- Lacerations: Deep cuts that may require stitches or corrective surgery
- Fractures: Broken bones in the face, such as the nose, cheekbones, or jaw
- Dental Injuries: Broken or lost teeth from the force of the impact
- Burns or Scarring: Tissue damage from fire, airbag chemicals, or debris
Facial injuries tend to call for specialized medical care, and the victim might need reconstructive surgery or orthodontic treatment.
Broken Bones
Fractures from car crashes tend to affect the arms, legs, ribs, and pelvis. The severity of a break depends on its location and the force of impact.
Recovering from broken bones can be a lengthy process, even for something as minor as a hairline fracture. Treatment often involves surgery, splints or casts, and physical therapy.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries are less visible but considerably more dangerous. It happens when blunt force trauma or penetrating objects cause damage to the internal organs, blood vessels, or tissues.
Internal bleeding is perhaps the most common type of internal injury, the result of blood vessels or organs being ruptured due to impact forces or object penetration. The liver, kidneys, spleen, and lungs are particularly vulnerable to such injuries. Blunt force can also damage the stomach or intestines, along with other organs in the abdomen.
Psychological Trauma
Car accidents don’t just cause physical injuries — they can also leave serious emotional and psychological scars. Victims are often left dealing with anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the aftermath of a life-altering wreck.
Accident victims who experience emotional trauma after a crash might:
- Relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares
- Develop a fear of driving or riding in cars
- Have trouble sleeping or concentrating
- Feel emotionally numb or irritable
This type of trauma may require therapy or counseling to help victims process their experiences and regain their sense of security.
Moving Forward After a Car Accident
Recovering from a vehicular crash can be a long and challenging journey. Whether you’re dealing with physical pain, emotional trauma, or financial hardship, it’s imperative to prioritize your health and seek the care and support you need. Immediate medical treatment and legal aid can make all the difference in the aftermath of an accident.
Contact Our Car Accident Law Firm in New York City
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Manhattan, NY, and need legal help, contact our New York City car accident lawyers at Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation.
Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers
100 Wall St 24th Floor
New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007
