How Does a Car Accident Affect Your Body?

Getting into a car accident can severely damage the human body, although you might not feel the effects right away. The physical force of a collision can violently shake your body; you can be damaged by an inflating airbag; you can be injured from the car itself if it is crushed. Victims commonly suffer from whiplash, head, neck and brain injuries, back and spinal cord trauma, bleeding and blood clots, and broken bones and limb injuries. Symptoms after an accident may include headache, shoulder and neck pain, back pain, abdominal pain, and bleeding, bruising or numbness. In addition, you may have emotional effects such as depression, anxiety, insomnia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some severe accidents can result in paralysis and fatalities.

If you or a loved one was involved in a serious car accident, you will not only have to deal with recovering from your injuries, but with mounting medical and household bills at a time you may be unable to work. You should be entitled to fair compensation for the damages you received, through insurance or a personal injury lawsuit, but this does not always happen.

New York laws regarding personal injury are complicated, and insurance companies will often try to deny claims or get you to settle for less than your case is worth. Making mistakes can be costly, so it is a good idea to consult with an experienced New York personal injury attorney as soon as possible after a crash.  Your attorney can evaluate your case and the damages you received and handle all legal hurdles and requirements so you can concentrate on your recovery.

In any case, it is important to understand how a car accident affects your body.

In a Car Crash, Your Body Absorbs Energy

When you are riding in a car, your body and the vehicle both have kinetic energy – the form of energy that is due to motion. Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object in motion will stay in motion until acted upon by an outside force. In the case of a collision, when a car is stopped by another object or vehicle, your body continues to move forward at the same speed as the car until something stops it.

Cars are now designed to better protect us during a collision by absorbing kinetic energy during impact. For example, seat belts restrain your body so that the vehicle absorbs the force of the crash, and newer cars have a “crumple zone” at the front, designed to absorb force during an impact. Still, if the force of the collision is great enough, your body will absorb more kinetic energy, resulting in injury. If you are not wearing a seat belt, your body will rush forward and likely collide with the steering wheel and windshield, causing injury, and if the car is demolished or something penetrates the windshield or a flying object strikes you, you can be severely injured as well.

Common Injuries After a Car Accident

There are multiple injuries that can occur after a car accident, with varying degrees of severity and varying effects on your life. Some common injuries include:

• Head and neck injuries. Right after a car crash, your head and body keep moving even though the vehicle has stopped. If your head hits part of the vehicle or another object, trauma results; and if your neck gets thrown backward and forward from the impact, you may suffer whiplash, a soft-tissue injury that can damage the neck, back, and spine. Other head injuries can include concussions, traumatic brain injury (TBI), skull fractures, and hemorrhages.
• Spinal cord injuries. These can include broken vertebrae, crushed sensitive tissue, and disc herniation from whiplash and crash impact, and can lead to paralysis below the point of injury.
• Broken bones, rib, hip, or pelvis fractures, bruises, lacerations, and amputations can result from force of impact and flying debris.
• Internal injuries. These can occur to the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, lungs, and other internal organs. The heart can be damaged by hitting the ribs and chest wall, and there may be internal bleeding.
• Psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), causing depression and anxiety can occur.

How Will I Feel Physically After a Car Accident?

How you feel right after an accident varies greatly. You may feel pain in an injured area immediately, or pain (such as that associated with sprains, strains, whiplash, and herniated discs, neck and shoulders) can take hours or days to develop.

Some signs that you are having a problem include:

• Headaches and nausea – When headaches are common or accompanied by nausea or flu-like symptoms, they can indicate a concussion or other traumatic brain injury.
• Abdominal pain – This can be a sign of internal bleeding or other soft tissue damage.
• Tingling and numbness – This can be evidence of pinched nerves, herniated discs, or other injuries to the spinal cord or nervous system.
• Memory loss, lack of concentration, fatigue or excessive sleepiness – These symptoms can be evidence of a concussion or other traumatic brain injury and are sometimes associated with psychological conditions, such as depression.

Be aware that the brain releases adrenaline and endorphins to elevate mood and increase physical alertness right after a traumatic accident, and this may help block pain and stress for a period of time. This is why it is so important to seek medical care as soon as possible, even if you think you are fine, to make sure there are no hidden injuries. Keep track of your symptoms, document everything, and follow medical advice.  All of this may be essential when it comes to receiving compensation for your injuries or if you wind up having to file a personal injury lawsuit.

Should I Get a Car Accident Lawyer After a Car Accident, to Cover Medical Expenses?

If your car accident is just a fender bender, with no physical injuries, you may not need a lawyer, but it still is a good idea to consult with one, since you never know what injuries the other party may decide to claim. After a serious car accident that has injuries and property damage, the services of a lawyer can be essential to cover your medical expenses and other damages.

Your lawyer can evaluate your case, conduct investigations as to how it happened and to determine fault, and help you gather the necessary documentation to prove the severity of your injuries, the current and future projected costs of treatment, and how your injuries impact your life. Your lawyer can help you calculate all the damages you are entitled to receive, pursue a fair settlement from insurance companies, and file a lawsuit and take your case to court on your behalf if necessary.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a serious car accident, the skilled and experienced attorneys at Tucker Lawyers can help. We have won large settlements and jury awards on behalf of clients who have been injured in car accidents, and are fully prepared to handle investigations, legal hurdles, negotiations and court requirements to see that you get the compensation you need to pay for all your damages.

We offer a free consultation to evaluate your case and determine the best way to handle it. We work on a contingency basis, so there is no cost to you unless or until we win your case

Call the NYC car accident lawyers at Tucker Lawyers today to get started.

GET HELP NOW  (516) 399-2364.