Car accidents can be scary, but they’re also common. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, about 10% of all drivers are involved in car accidents yearly. These accidents have many causes but most frequently involve cars colliding with stationary objects or other vehicles.
How do these injuries affect people’s lives?
From minor fender benders to major injuries, here are some of the most common injuries caused by a car accident:
- Head Injuries: A head injury occurs when there’s an impact on the skull, which causes internal bleeding or damage to the brain. This can lead to a concussion that can cause dizziness, memory loss and headaches for several days after the incident. It can also lead to brain damage, which may cause unconsciousness or personality changes over time due to permanent damage caused by this type of injury.
- Fracture: Fractures are broken bones that result from blunt trauma. They usually occur in multiple places on different sides of your body, but they can also affect one small area of your body, such as your finger or toe.
- Lacerations: These types of wounds generally occur when someone’s skin comes into contact with a hard object such as a belt buckle or steering wheel. Lacerations are commonly found on the head, neck and face, but they can also happen anywhere on your body.
- Sprains: Sprains occur when ligaments or tendons in your knee or ankle are stretched beyond their normal range of motion. This type of injury often occurs when you trip over something while walking downstairs or bump into something hard while riding in a vehicle.
- Stab wounds: A stab wound occurs when an object pierces through layers of skin and tissue, resulting in bleeding that is not controlled by the pressure applied directly on the wound site, such as applying direct pressure on a cut.
Common causes of car accidents
The most common causes of car accidents are:
- Speeding and alcohol use: Speeding is the most common cause of all traffic fatalities, killing nearly 2,500 people yearly in the United States.
- Driver distraction: Distracted driving can come from using a cell phone to eating or grooming while behind the wheel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that about 40 per cent of all crashes involve distracted drivers.
- Defective tires or wheels: These defects may not be obvious at first glance, but they can cause problems with steering, braking or acceleration.
Get help after a car accident
If you’re involved in a car accident, you have the right to file a claim with your insurance company. If you have a personal injury attorney, he or she can help ensure that you get the compensation you deserve through your lawsuit.
We have recovered millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients, and we will work tirelessly to pursue the compensation you need and deserve. Contact our Las Vegas personal injury firm to schedule your free initial consultation at 702-333-4223.