Experiencing a car accident as either a passenger or driver is a traumatic experience. Whether you were involved in a low-speed or high-speed collision, you leave the incident with lasting emotional scars that may require extensive counseling to overcome. What is unique to high-speed accidents, however, is the increased possibility of suffering catastrophic injuries.
A catastrophic injury is a severe injury that results in long-term medical care, permanent disability, or even a shortened life expectancy. Individuals who suffer these injuries often face financial hardships and must adapt to a new life with these ailments, all because of the negligent actions of a third party.
Spine injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and severed limbs are the most common catastrophic car accident injuries. While all hinder one’s ability to lead a normal life, they each have specific effects on the individuals affected.
Spinal Cord Injuries
The Shepherd Center reports that 38.4% of all spinal cord injuries result from motor vehicle accidents. These injuries may be to the neck or spine. When the spinal vertebrae are fractured in a car accident, bruising, stretching, or severing may occur. As a result, one may suffer permanent nerve damage causing him to lose the use of a body part.
Some of the more harrowing spinal cord injuries end in partial or complete paralysis. Paralysis occurs when the brain is no longer able to communicate to other body parts and most commonly happens from either the waist or neck down. A paralyzed individual requires lifetime assistance.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) are some of the most common car accident injuries and also some of the most dangerous. The reason being they range from noticeable head injuries to minor concussions that can be easily overlooked, which may lead to long-term ailments. According to the Centers for Disease Control, TBI cause 30% of deaths that occur as a result of an injury.
A TBI occurs when the brain smashes against the skull. This can cause internal bleeding, hemorrhaging, and damage to the brain tissue. Those who suffer TBI are at risk of losing cognitive, visual, and hearing abilities. It isn’t uncommon for one to experience sleep or emotional disturbance as well.
Severed Limbs
One may lose limbs from a car accident one of two ways:
- The impact of the crash severed the limb at the scene of the accident; or
- A surgeon had to sever a limb to prevent further damage
When one loses a limb at the scene of the accident, he faces immediate risk of infection, excessive blood loss, and shock, all of which may lead to brain damage. The only time a surgeon would decide to sever a limb is if there is no way to save it and not doing so may cause further complications. An individual who loses a limb must readjust to life with prosthetics and relearn how to do rudimentary tasks like walking and writing.
If you or a loved one suffered a catastrophic car accident injury, waste little time in securing legal representation. Southwest Kansas personal injury lawyer Joseph T. Welsh has helped numerous car accident victims recover the compensation they’re entitled to by law. Contact Joseph T. Welsh, Attorney at Law today at (620) 510-5030 for a free case evaluation and discover the value of the personal injury claim.