Maria is an intake coordinator. She does not provide legal advice.
52+ car accident injuries explained — symptoms, treatment, recovery, and what they mean for your Arizona case.
A concussion is a mild brain injury that happens when the brain gets shaken inside the skull. It can occur from a direct hit to the head or from the body being jolted hard enough to make the brain bounce around.
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A moderate traumatic brain injury happens when a blow to the head disrupts normal brain function for more than 30 minutes but less than 24 hours. It's more serious than a concussion but not as severe as injuries that cause extended unconsciousness.
Whiplash occurs when the head and neck are suddenly forced backward and forward in a rapid motion, commonly in rear-end collisions. This injury affects the soft tissues, muscles, and ligaments in the neck area.
A cervical strain happens when the muscles and tendons in the neck get stretched or torn. This is one of the most common neck injuries from car accidents, causing pain, stiffness, and difficulty moving the head normally.
A cervical disc herniation happens when one of the cushioning discs in the neck becomes damaged and bulges out, pressing on nearby nerves. This can cause neck pain, arm pain, numbness, and weakness that travels down from the neck into the shoulder and arm.
A neck fracture is a break in one or more of the seven small bones that make up the neck portion of the spine. These injuries can range from minor cracks that heal well to serious breaks that affect movement and sensation.
A partial spinal cord injury happens when the spinal cord is damaged but not completely severed. People with this type of injury often keep some feeling and movement below the injury site, though it may be limited or different than before.
A complete spinal cord injury results in total loss of sensation and voluntary movement below the injury site. This catastrophic injury affects all nerve pathways, typically causing permanent paralysis and requiring lifelong medical care.
A compression fracture happens when one of the small bones in the spine collapses or gets crushed. The bone often takes on a wedge shape when the front part gets compressed but the back stays intact.
A lumbar strain happens when muscles or tendons in the lower back get stretched or torn. It's one of the most common back injuries from car accidents, causing pain and stiffness that can make everyday activities difficult.
A thoracic spine fracture is a crack or break in one or more bones of the middle back, between the shoulder blades and lower ribs. These fractures often cause significant back pain that gets worse when moving or breathing deeply.
A lumbar disc herniation happens when one of the cushions between the bones in the lower back tears and pushes out. This can press on nearby nerves, causing pain that travels from the lower back down into the leg.
Broken ribs happen when one or more of the curved bones protecting the chest crack or break completely. This injury is surprisingly common in car accidents because ribs are strong but can snap under sudden impact forces.
A broken sternum is a crack or break in the breastbone - the flat bone running down the center of the chest that connects to the ribs. This injury often happens when the chest hits something hard during a car accident.
A pneumothorax, or collapsed lung, occurs when air enters the space between the lung and chest wall, causing the lung to partially or completely collapse. This serious injury commonly results from trauma in vehicle accidents and requires immediate medical attention.
A heart contusion is a bruise on the heart muscle that can happen when someone's chest hits something hard in a car accident. The injury can range from mild bruising that heals on its own to more serious damage that affects how well the heart works.
Flail chest happens when three or more ribs break in multiple places, making part of the chest wall unstable. The broken section moves in the opposite direction when breathing, which makes it hard to breathe normally.
A broken collarbone happens when the bone connecting the shoulder to the chest snaps or cracks. This injury often causes a visible bump where the break occurred and makes moving the arm very painful.
Seatbelt injuries happen when the force of a crash causes the seatbelt to press hard against the body, creating bruising, cuts, or damage to internal organs. While seatbelts save lives, they can also cause their own injuries during severe impacts.
A ruptured spleen happens when the covering around the spleen breaks open, causing bleeding inside the abdomen. This organ sits under the left ribcage and can tear during car accidents from blunt force trauma.
A liver laceration is a tear or cut in the liver, one of the body's largest organs located in the upper right part of the abdomen. These injuries can range from minor surface tears to deep cuts that cause serious bleeding.
Kidney injury happens when the kidneys suddenly can't filter waste from the blood properly. This can occur from direct trauma to the back or side during a car accident, or from severe shock that reduces blood flow to the kidneys.
An abdominal aorta injury happens when the body's main blood vessel in the belly area gets damaged or tears. This artery carries blood from the heart to the lower body, so any damage can be serious and may not show symptoms right away.
Internal bleeding occurs when blood vessels rupture inside the body, causing blood to accumulate in tissues, organs, or body cavities. This serious condition can result from blunt force trauma in vehicle accidents and may not show immediate external signs.
A shoulder dislocation occurs when the upper arm bone separates from the shoulder socket, commonly resulting from high-impact collisions. This painful injury often requires immediate medical attention and extensive rehabilitation.
A rotator cuff tear involves damage to the muscles and tendons that stabilize the shoulder joint and hold the upper arm bone in place. These injuries commonly occur in vehicle accidents due to sudden trauma or forceful impact to the shoulder area.
A broken arm means one or more of the three bones in the arm has cracked or snapped completely through. This injury can happen to any bone from the shoulder to the elbow and often causes immediate, severe pain along with visible swelling.
A wrist fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the wrist or lower forearm. It's a common injury that can range from a small crack to a complete break that shifts the bones out of place.
A femur fracture involves a break in the thighbone, the longest and strongest bone in the human body. These injuries typically result from high-impact trauma and often require surgical intervention.
A broken tibia and fibula means one or both bones in the lower leg have cracked or snapped. The tibia is the larger, weight-bearing bone, while the fibula is the smaller bone on the outside of the leg.
A knee ligament tear happens when one of the strong bands that hold the knee bones together gets stretched or ripped. These injuries can make the knee feel unstable, cause pain, and sometimes make it hard to walk or bear weight.
A kneecap fracture is a break in the small bone that sits at the front of the knee. This injury can make it difficult or impossible to straighten the leg or walk normally.
A hip fracture is a break in the upper part of the thighbone where it meets the hip joint. This serious injury often makes it impossible to walk or bear weight on the affected leg.
A pelvic fracture involves breaks in one or more bones that form the pelvic ring. These injuries often result from high-impact accidents and can range from stable fractures to life-threatening unstable fractures requiring immediate surgical intervention.
An ankle fracture involves a break in one or more of the bones that form the ankle joint. These injuries range from simple hairline cracks to complex breaks affecting multiple bones, often requiring extensive medical treatment and rehabilitation.
A foot fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the foot. This injury can happen to any of the 26 bones in the foot and often causes immediate pain, swelling, and difficulty walking.
A broken nose happens when one or more of the bones in the nose crack or break. It's one of the most common facial injuries in car accidents and often causes pain, swelling, and nosebleeds.
A jaw fracture is a break in one or both of the bones that form the jaw. This injury can make it difficult or painful to open the mouth, chew, or speak.
An orbital fracture happens when one or more bones around the eye socket break. This type of injury can affect vision, eye movement, and cause numbness in the face.
Dental injuries are damage to teeth, gums, or other parts of the mouth from trauma. These injuries can range from small chips to knocked-out teeth and often happen when the face hits something hard during a car accident.
Facial lacerations are cuts or tears to the skin on the face, ranging from shallow scrapes to deep wounds that may need stitches. Even small cuts on the face can bleed heavily because of the many blood vessels there.
Thermal burns are injuries to the skin caused by contact with hot surfaces, flames, steam, or heated liquids during a car accident. These burns can range from mild redness to deep tissue damage that affects multiple layers of skin.
Friction burns happen when skin rubs against a rough surface with enough force to damage the tissue. They're common in car accidents when people slide across pavement, dashboard surfaces, or seat materials during a crash.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can develop after a frightening or life-threatening car accident. It affects how the brain processes the traumatic experience, causing ongoing anxiety, flashbacks, and other symptoms that interfere with daily life.
Persistent mood and anxiety disorders following crash trauma
A crush injury happens when a body part gets compressed or squeezed with tremendous force, damaging muscles, bones, blood vessels, and nerves underneath. This often occurs when parts of a vehicle collapse inward during a crash, trapping and compressing limbs or other body parts.
Traumatic amputation is when a body part like a finger, toe, arm, or leg gets completely severed or so badly damaged in an accident that it has to be surgically removed. This is one of the most serious injuries that can happen in a car crash.
Nerve damage happens when the body's electrical wiring gets injured, disrupting signals between the brain and different parts of the body. This can cause pain, numbness, weakness, or strange sensations that may show up right away or develop over time.
Soft tissue injuries affect muscles, tendons, and ligaments throughout the body. These injuries are among the most common types sustained in vehicle accidents and can cause lasting pain and mobility issues.
