Imagine you are reading a news report of a recent accident involving a tractor-trailer and a car, and when you get to the end you let out a sigh of relief because only minor injuries were reported. This is indeed something to be happy about since many of these accidents can leave people with severe injuries, or worse, prove fatal.
But even minor injuries can have lasting effects that can have a significant negative impact on quality of life and financial freedom.
The Long-Term Effects of Common Car Accident Injuries
- Whiplash. Even a fender bender can lead to whiplash, and the larger the impact, the worse the injury. Whiplash is a soft-tissue neck injury that causes temporary soreness in the neck and back. While the majority of people recover completely from whiplash, there are some who develop chronic pain.
- Brain injuries. Mild traumatic brain injury, such as concussion, can occur with or without actually hitting your head. In an impact, the brain can be slammed against the inside of the skull, resulting in a completely invisible injury. Even a single concussion can lead to long-term struggles that the victim may not even connect with the original injury, such as: memory problems, headaches, depression and anxiety.
- Facial Injuries. Facial injuries are common in car accidents. Beyond the danger to the brain, when there is a blow to the face there is risk of fracturing of the skull. This can lead to immediate complications, but damage to the jaw and teeth can also lead to long-term problems, such as deterioration of the cartilage in the jaw. This can lead to bone on bone contact between the mandible and the temporal bone, a condition that can cause chronic pain. Dental injuries can also lead to deterioration or infection of tooth nerves.
- Spinal Injuries. What may feel like a sore back, an expected result of a car accident, may actually be damage to the spine or the soft tissue that supports it. Herniated discs, torn ligaments, displaced vertebrae and many other injuries can lead to debilitating pain that is not initially evident.
- Joint Injuries. Damage to joints, such as the wrists, elbows, knees, hips or shoulders, can lead to early onset arthritis, which may take years to develop.
- Psychological Injuries. Car accidents can be psychologically traumatic. While psychological injuries are often overlooked, they can alter a person’s life permanently. Even though a driver or passenger walks away from an accident without physical injury, they may experience serious conditions such as posttraumatic stress disorder, persistent anxiety, or clinic depression.
This is only a small sample of the minor injuries that may lead to long-term complications. These complications may mean an inability to work and necessitate long-term health care, such as physical therapy, counseling, medication and surgery. For many, this means significant financial hardship.
Get Compensation for Your Future Medical Costs
If you are involved in an accident, you should talk to an attorney, even if you only think you have minor injuries. Do not sign anything sent to you by the other driver’s insurance company before you do. Compensation after a car accident is not just about closure, but also about ensuring that you are financially able to deal with the potential long-term effects of the accident.
Contact Us
The Trucking Accident Attorneys specialize in helping victims of accidents involving semi trucks and other commercial vehicles get the compensation they deserve. If you were involved in an accident involving a tractor-trailer, or you lost a loved one in such an accident, please contact us immediately to speak with a knowledgeable attorney about your legal options. We provide a no-obligation consultation with one or our attorneys free of charge.