Common Injuries Sustained in Car Accidents

There were more than 192,000 auto accidents on Tennessee roads in 2021, according to the state Department of Transportation. These crashes left more than 31,000 people injured, over 6,000 of them seriously. While today’s vehicles have much more safety equipment than ever before, people still get hurt and require strong legal representation to obtain reimbursement for medical bills, lost income and rehabilitation costs.

Some of the most common injuries suffered by drivers and passengers in car wrecks include:

• Soft tissue injuries — The sudden impact that occurs auto accidents can do great damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Whiplash is the most common soft tissue injury and one of the most common of all auto accident injuries. It can occur in collisions as slow as 15 miles an hour.
• Neck and back injuries — The same sudden back-and-forth motion that causes whiplash can also cause other back and neck injuries. You might feel the effects right away or they may show up days after the crash. Some specific spinal conditions resulting from crashes are herniated discs, lumbar sprains, thoracic spine damage and even catastrophic injuries such as paralysis.
• Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries — Concussions are very common in car accident victims, who often hit their heads as the crash unfolds, leaving the victim with possible symptoms such as memory loss, headaches and nausea. If you have abnormal headaches after an auto accident, don’t try to “tough it out” because it could be a sign of a serious concussion. Traumatic brain injuries can lead to changes in brain function and could cause lifelong problems.
• Organ damage and internal bleeding — Damage to your body’s internal organs can easily occur in collisions of even moderate speed. Internal bleeding and certain types of organ damage might not always be obvious. A person can have internal bleeding and not really feel the effects right away. This is one reason why you should always go to a doctor after a wreck, even if you don’t think you aren’t hurt badly.
• Bone fractures — Car accident victims frequently suffer broken legs, ribs, arms, ankles and wrists. Fractures can be relatively clean, “closed” fractures or they can be very serious compound fractures or “open” fractures, where the bone breaks through the skin.

After a serious injury in an auto accident, you deserve powerful representation to help you recover the compensation you deserve. At Massengill, Caldwell & Coughlin, PC our attorneys help accident victims take on negligent drivers and their insurance companies. We offer a free initial consultation, which you can schedule by calling 423-797-6022 or contacting us online. Our office is in Bristol, and we also make home and hospital visits throughout the Tri-Cities area.