Like most Texans, you expected your day to be routine. You left your home for work, errands or for some other reason expecting that you would complete your daily tasks and return home safe. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
Somewhere along the way, another driver made a critical error and caused a car accident in which you were involved. When your vehicle came to a rest, you may have thought that you came out of the situation unscathed, but you realized either immediately or in the hours and days following the crash that you suffered injuries.
Look out for these common injuries
The types of injuries you suffer depend on a variety of factors that you cannot predict. Even so, the odds are high that you suffered one or more of the following injuries common to motor vehicle accidents:
- Even if you didn’t hit your head on anything, the violent motion of the crash could cause a concussion. Do not take for granted that it is a mild concussion because head injuries are unpredictable and could be far more serious than they seem at first.
- The same violent motion that could cause a concussion can also cause whiplash. Don’t dismiss the pain in your neck, shoulders or head because whiplash can indicate a spinal cord or head injury.
- The force of the crash or the condition of the wreckage can cause broken bones. These injuries can take some time to heal under the best conditions, but if the bone pierces your skin or you spend too much time trapped in your vehicle, the outcome could put you at risk for serious medical conditions.
- Muscles, tendons and ligaments can sustain damage during a crash. These soft-tissue injuries often take a substantial amount of time to heal, during which, you may have limited mobility and trouble functioning in your daily life for some time.
Another common injury has nothing to do with your body but, instead, with your mind. The emotional and mental repercussions of an accident can last longer than your physical injuries. Going through a car accident is a traumatic experience, and it may take you some time to recover. In fact, some people suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after a car crash, which can debilitate you and keep you from resuming your normal life.
Just because you did not lose consciousness or did not feel pain right away, never assume that you did not suffer some sort of injuries. Adrenalin and shock could mask a serious injury. In fact, some injuries leave no external evidence. It never hurts to see a doctor in the immediate aftermath of an accident. You may consider it normal to have pain afterward, but you have no way of knowing whether your pain is trying to tell you that something is seriously wrong.
If you have suffered injuries as the result of a car crash, you may be able to claim compensation for your financial losses, and physical and emotional suffering. Speak with an attorney as soon as possible.