Auto Accidents Lawsuits

Given the rate of speed that a car can travel, the force of impact during an accident can cause a wide range of serious injuries to its occupants. From broken bones to back injuries, trauma sustained in a car wreck takes a serious toll on a victim's finances, relationships, and quality of life. Below are just some of the injuries commonly associated with car crashes.

Fractures

Broken bones are a typical serious injury resulting from an auto accident. A wide range of fracture types are possible, including fractures of the upper and lower extremities (limbs), jaw fractures, pelvic fractures, and spinal fractures. The severity of a fracture suffered in a car crash depends on its location and the damage inflicted on the bones and tissues nearby.

If not treated property, fractures can have far-reaching consequences, including blood vessel damage, nerve damage, or infection of the bone and the surrounding tissue. Although minor fractures can heal within a few weeks, more serious fractures--like those associated with car accidents--may take months to completely heal. In general, recovering from a fracture takes longer in adults than in children.

Other serious types of fractures that may occur in a car accident include:

• Spinal fractures. While some spinal fractures heal with rest and physical therapy, others require more extensive surgical repair. Those who have osteoporosis or other conditions that weaken bone are especially susceptible to spinal fractures.
• Skull fractures. A skull fracture can be a relatively minor injury--or it can be deadly. When a fracture occurs along a relatively straight line (linear skull fracture), recovery is usually simple. However, if the fracture causes an indentation of the skull (depressed skull fracture), surgery may be necessary to repair the fracture and to examine the brain for injury.

Back Injuries

Back injuries caused by car accidents can be devastating. An injury to the back may involve damage to the ligaments or muscles of the back (sprain or strain), a fracture or dislocation of the spine, a torn, ruptured or herniated disc, or painful compression of the nerves in the lower back. Although the majority of back injuries resolve themselves within a month with nothing more than home treatment, some more serious back injuries require medical intervention. Medical treatment for a car accident-related back injury may involve physical therapy, medication, manipulative therapy, or in some instances, surgery.

Head Injuries

• Hemorrhage. Bleeding inside the skull is a serious medical emergency. Surgery is often required for this type of car accident injury, depending on the location and extent of the bleeding.
• Traumatic brain injury. Most incidents of traumatic brain injury involve a closed-head injury. This occurs when a powerful impact, such as a car crash, causes the brain to collide with the skull. A penetrating head injury, on the other hand, occurs when a moving object penetrates the brain. Both closed-head injuries and penetrating head injuries are potentially life-threatening. They may also result in serious, long-term complications such as coma, seizure, nerve damage or even personality change.

Spinal Cord Injuries

A spinal cord injury typically occurs as the result of sudden, forceful trauma to the spine that fractures or dislocates vertebrae. This causes displaced bone fragments to bruise or tear spinal cord tissue. The long-term effects of spinal cord injury can range from almost total recovery to total paralysis.

Disfigurement

Car accident-related injuries can lead to serious disfigurement and scarring of the face or other parts of the body. Whether caused by burns, soft tissue injuries or other factors, disfigurement involves significant damage to one's physical appearance.

In addition to affecting the way a person feels about his or her own self, disfigurement can also elicit negative - and sometimes cruel - reactions from others. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy or social isolation that may have a profound impact on the victim's happiness and well-being. In addition to physical scars, car accidents can inflict intense emotional scars that stay with a person for the rest of their life.

Other serious injuries that can arise from a car accident include severed limbs, organ damage, internal bleeding, soft tissue injuries, and whiplash.

Are You the Victim of a Serious Car Accident Injury?

Our lawyers have decades of experience in personal injury law and can help you determine whether or not you're entitled to compensation for your serious auto accident-related injuries. If we decide that you have a valid legal claim, we'll work hard to protect your rights under the law as we pursue a settlement on your behalf.

Remember, the law limits the amount of time you have to file suit after being injured, and failure to act quickly could affect your ability to file a claim. Don't delay - contact the Law Offices of James Sokolove today for a free, no-obligation consultation on your case.