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What types of injuries may be sustained in an auto accident?

  • Soft tissue or strain injuries are the most common form of injury in an automobile accident. They can result even where a vehicle does not sustain significant property damage. Soft tissue injuries by definition involve strains or sprains to the soft tissues of the body: muscles, ligaments and tendons. These injuries can be difficult to provide because they don’t show up on X-rays or MRIs. As such, its important to document the existence of these injuries soon after the accident, or their causal connection to the accident may be questioned by the insurance company, especially if you had any preexisting injuries in the same area of the body that you injured in the accident.
  • Fractures can be the sign of a significant injury requiring immediate medical treatment. There are different types of fractures, but typically they involve the breaking of a bone. Certain fractures, if they are masked by other symptoms, may not be immediately apparent. Most fractures can be diagnosed by X-ray.
  • Dislocation refers generally to the displacement of any part of the body from its normal position, like a bone being displaced from its normal position with a joint. Shoulder, clavicle, knee, and hip dislocations can occur with accidents involving significant impacts. Dislocations may also be associated with fractures.
  • Spinal or disc injuries are potentially serious injuries that can result from an automobile accident. A herniated disc refers to a rupture of the fibrocartilage surrounding an intervetebral disc, releasing the nucleus pulpous that cushions the vertebrae in your back. This can result in the nerve impingement on the nerves that come out of your spinal cord. Radiating pain to your arms or legs can be a sign of a disc injury. These injuries are most commonly diagnosed by MRI.
  • Scars or Lacerations frequently result in accidents where the windshield is broken. Significant scarring may be correctable through plastic surgery, which is generally not performed in the hospital when your injuries are initially treated.
  • Brain damages or other catastrophic injuries can result from significant automobile accidents. Brain damages may be severe or subtle depending on the nature of the injuries. If there is any questions as to whether you suffered a significant head impact, you may want to get evaluated by a neurologist or neuro-psychologist after the accident. Subtle forms of brain damage may not get picked up in the emergency room.