Though all of these may not apply to every circumstance, here are some of the most commonly reported physical effects of car accidents reported in court. Remember, if you’ve suffered from these yourself, contact a personal injury attorney in Las Vegas right away! Though nobody can take back the suffering you’ve endured, we can certainly help fight for monetary compensation to help ease the pain.
Whiplash
Though the term is often misused to describe discomfort, medical “whiplash” is when a muscle or ligament jolts during an unexpected impact at the scene of an accident, causing it to tear.
Whiplash is particularly insidious because it isn’t always apparent. Given that most people would have a huge adrenaline rush after a severe car accident, many do not realize they have the injury on the scene. This is part of the reason why it’s essential to have paramedics evaluate you on the scene of an accident. If you did happen to get whiplash, their documentation could help prove the accident directly caused it.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
One of the most saddening, yet common, types of injuries that any Las Vegas personal injury law firm regularly deals with stemming from car accidents are traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Similarl to whiplash, many people don’t even realize they have it on the scene.
It could be minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, or even years before symptoms serious enough to warrant seeking immediate medical attention appear. This is why many elect to get scans done at hospitals after an accident if there was any head impact during it, as they’re often is. The key to treating these injuries is to catch them very early.
Even if the TBI is caught early, treated adequately, and heals successfully, the person who is found to be most at fault for the accident isn’t off the hook! With medical treatment often being costly, the physical and emotional toll, and so much money lost due to time off work, victims of TBIs can often be awarded fair compensation packages with the assistance of a talented Las Vegas personal injury lawyer.
Broken Ribs
Of course, it’s possible to break any bone in an accident. Again, the adrenaline rush can make it possible to not even feel any pain at all in the moment! Some of the most common bones broken in car accidents are ribs. Sometimes, it’s a fracture, and other times, it’s a complete break. Either way, it’s a very serious injury.
The issue is that the ribs are very exposed and sensitive. Just a slight jarring impact can cause rib damage. Due to their central location, unless acute surgery is required, patients most commonly need to rest for long periods of time. Even with the help of prescription-grade painkillers, these can still cause lasting physical pain.
Just as with whiplash and TBIs, broken ribs cost a lot of money to simply evaluate, more to treat, and almost always require an extended leave of absence from work or school. This goes for other bones that may break, as well. Broken arms are another unfortunately common occurrence in car accidents, since sticking your arms out to stop your head from hitting the dashboard is just a natural reaction.
Even though your head might be spinning, the most important thing to do is get a checkup by medical professionals right after an accident. Remember that you could have a broken bone and not even know it! Unfortunately, while a personal injury attorney can help you seek compensation for known injuries, we don’t have a magic wand that allows us to see undiagnosed injuries!
Internal Bleeding
Just the term “internal bleeding” nauseates most people. It sounds horrible, and, in some cases, it can be quite horrific or even deadly. Most often, ER doctors can identify the source of internal bleeding and use various agents and physical remedies to stop or slow it to the point where it isn’t deadly.
Out of all of the physical impacts a car accident could have, internal bleeding is the least likely to be detected by the victim. Since there’s no way to see it from the outside, and most people don’t “feel” that they are bleeding internally, it’s almost impossible to know. This, in itself, is a very compelling reason to be evaluated by medical professionals after anything beyond a fender-bender (though even these have the potential to lead to serious medical problems) right away.
Getting Your Compensation
If you’ve suffered from these or other physical ailments related to a car crash, injury lawyers in Las Vegas at The Schnitzer Firm are here to assist you! Contact us today for a zero-obligation, compassionate, confidential consultation. You can drop us a line at 702-960-4050, email us at Contact@TheSchnitzerLawFirm.com, or fill out our contact form to get in touch with one of our 24/7 stand-by agents to get started.