No matter how careful a driver you may be, there is no way to ensure that you will never be involved in a car accident. Despite your best intentions to keep your car well maintained, drive following all traffic signals, and avoid any activities that may distract you and take your eyes off the road, you may be involved in an accident with another vehicle, a truck, or a motorcycle. If this has happened to you and you are having to deal with the effects of your injuries, reaching out to a team of Oxnard car accident lawyers may allow you to have the time to concentrate on your injuries and on recovering your health while your attorneys handle the legal side of things and protect your rights.
What are the most common injuries suffered in car accidents?
Any part of the body can be injured due to the force and impact of another car hitting yours. Head injuries, which are very common, can include concussions, contusions, penetrating head wounds, traumatic brain injuries, etc.
Other injuries may include whiplash, neck strains, soft tissue, internal organ damage, and damage to the spinal cord. You may also experience burns, broken bones, and psychological trauma from everything that you have had to live through.
What are the potential long-term effects of these injuries?
Depending on how extensive and severe these injuries are, the victim may have to learn to live with pain, cognitive and memory problems, loss of mobility, and a need to have someone take care of them permanently, including help with daily living activities.
- Traumatic brain injuries. When it comes to long-term issues, a traumatic brain injury is full of them. From comas to a persistent vegetative state in the most severe cases, victims may also experience memory problems, personality changes, and an inability to perform many tasks that were not a problem before the accident.
- Pain. Victims of car accidents may have to learn to cope with chronic pain, whether they injured their spine, head, or neck. They may also suffer from inflammation and back problems that are difficult to resolve.
- Limited mobility. Injuries to the neck or spinal cord may also result in limited mobility, in many cases due to damage to surrounding ligaments and joints. Migraines and carpal tunnel syndrome are also common, accompanying tingling, numbness, and pain.
- Psychological and emotional pain. Even though these side effects of a car accident are not easy to measure, they are just as real as physical injuries. Victims of auto accidents may experience depression, anxiety, mood swings, shock, fear, anger, and many conflicting feelings. They may have PTSD and have a tough time whenever they drive past the scene of the crash. Any of these symptoms on their own may be impactful enough to undermine the victim’s personal and social relationships as well as their ability to continue working.
Get medical help
Take the time to seek appropriate medical attention, such as getting yourself checked to this car accident chiropractor, and be consistent with all treatments and medications that can help you with your recovery. If advised by your doctors, sign up for physical therapy sessions and do not skip them. If your injuries are severe, never attempt to apply self-recovery techniques; you may end up aggravating the injuries, causing infections, and having to deal with the aftermath of your injuries for much longer. Remember that severe injuries can take months or even years to heal fully.
Get legal help
Not having the needed financial resources to deal with any of the above long-term effects of an accident can also be stressful and traumatic. Not being able to continue working and providing for your loved ones can add another level of stress while you observe the growing pile of medical bills that require your immediate attention.
When you schedule an initial consultation with a car accident attorney, you will be able to talk about your case and understand the legal options available to you. Your lawyer will help you calculate the value of your case, including economic damages (that cover your medical expenses and loss of income) and general damages, which cover an amount to help you deal with your pain and suffering. You may need to hire someone to represent you when the unthinkable happens and you are injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence or recklessness.
Adam Mulligan did his degree in psychology at the University of Hertfordshire. He is interested in mental health and well-being.
