Based on NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) statistics, nearly 3 million motor vehicle accidents involving injuries occurred in the US in 2021. That’s a whopping 250,000 accidents per month. Sadly, in nearly 42,300 of those accidents, the injuries were fatal. Interestingly enough, some injuries are more common than others. However, the injuries that resulted were as varied as the circumstances surrounding each accident.
Factors contributing to the Severity of Injuries
While individuals often recover from minor injuries without any medical treatment, others are not so lucky and experience serious, permanently disabling, or even fatal injuries. The severity of the injuries that drivers and passengers suffer depend on the following:
• Did the injury victim’s vehicle get hit in the front, rear, or side?
• Was the injury victim wearing their seat belt?
• Was the vehicle equipped with airbags?
• Was the vehicle traveling at a high or low speed when the collision occurred?
• When the vehicle was struck, was the injury victim facing straight ahead or were they turned in a different direction?
Most injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents are classified as impact injuries or penetrating injuries. Impact injuries typically result when the victim hits some part of the vehicle’s interior such as their head hitting the head rest or side window while. On the other hand, penetrating injuries such as lacerations and scrapes often result from loose objects flying around inside the vehicle or shattering glass.
Most common Injuries attributed to Motor Vehicle Accidents
While there are 2 categories of injuries that are suffered in motor vehicle accidents, the 5 most common injuries that our clients file a claim on include:
• Arm and leg injuries – the same forces that can move an individual’s head can harm an individual’s arms and legs in similar fashion.
• Chest injuries – this is one of the more common impact injuries that can range from bruises to broken ribs or internal injuries
• Cuts and scrapes – loose objects including airbags, books, cell phones, coffee mugs, dash-mounted GPS systems, eyeglasses, and purses easily become projectiles in a motor vehicle collision.
• Head injuries – these injuries can range from relatively minor to extremely severe or even catastrophic when the driver’s head moves suddenly and unexpectedly in unnatural ways
• Soft tissue injuries – any damage to ligaments, muscles, or tendons is commonly referred to as a soft tissue injury including whiplash. They are not visible but can be detrimental to your health.
For additional information regarding motor vehicle accidents and filing a personal injury claim in Highland, call the Braff Legal Group today at (909) 280-0098, We have helped thousands of accident victims get the justice and compensation they were entitled to. Call us now!