Common Injuries from Huntsville, Texas, Car Accidents and Their Legal Implications
In Texas, car accidents are a fact of life. Huntsville drivers who get into car crashes can experience life-changing common injuries, trauma, and disruption to their lives. Accidents can cause victims to lose work and leave them with expensive medical bills and long-term health issues. Crash victims who seek medical treatment and legal assistance quickly after their accidents typically have better outcomes, but some people fail to notice their injuries, which can lead to serious problems. If you’re in a car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately, even if you feel fine. Doctors may order tests like CT scans, MRIs, blood work, or ultrasonography to protect your health.
Drivers who are knowledgeable about the injuries they may experience during a car accident will be better equipped to protect their rights and seek compensation if the worst happens. Car wreck injuries can create physical, emotional, and financial challenges, and they can also have legal implications. A skilled car crash attorney can advise you and help you navigate the legal process so you can recover fully.
The Texas Department of Transportation uses the following codes to classify car accident injuries according to their severity:
- K – Fatal injury
- A – Incapacitating injury
- B – Non-incapacitating injury
- C – Possible injury
- N – No injury
The codes listed above apply to many conditions, including:
Whiplash and Neck Injuries
Whiplash happens when the head rapidly moves back and forth during a car crash, injuring its tendons and ligaments. Rear-end collisions commonly cause this condition, which can be moderate or severe. Sometimes the effects of whiplash, like stiffness and pain in the neck, take hours or days to manifest. Whiplash can also cause headaches, cognitive difficulties, or pain in the upper back. Since MRIs and X-rays may not show the damage whiplash causes, it’s important to get a comprehensive medical exam after an accident to diagnose and document any symptoms of the condition or other neck injuries. If crash victims do not receive prompt treatment for harm to their cervical discs and soft tissues, they risk suffering from chronic pain. They may also lower their chances of receiving sufficient compensation for their injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) include everything from concussions to skull fractures to hematomas. They occur when a sudden impact causes the brain to hit the skull, which can lead to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, cognitive impairment, loss of consciousness, amnesia, difficulty speaking, and paralysis. These effects can vary in severity. Mild concussions can have long-term repercussions, and severe brain injuries can require surgical treatment and long-term rehabilitation. TBIs can damage a patient’s quality of life and be very expensive to treat, so it’s key for accident victims to seek immediate medical help. Seeing a doctor right away will help patients establish their legal case when they seek remuneration for their injuries.
Spinal Cord Common Injuries
Spinal cord injuries may include bruises, compressions, tears, and cuts. These injuries can cause nerve damage that leads to a loss of feeling, mobility, and bodily function. The effects of spinal cord injuries can be temporary and mild or long-lasting and severe, depending on the extent of the damage. Victims may experience conditions like numbness, limited mobility, and paralysis that require ongoing medical care and rehabilitation. To secure full compensation for their medical expenses, accident victims should seek out legal representation.
Back Injuries
In addition to spinal cord injuries, high-impact car crashes can also cause back injuries like fractures and herniated discs. These injuries are different from spinal cord injuries, although they can cause similar symptoms, including numbness, chronic pain, and impaired mobility. Back injuries may take weeks or months to manifest, so it’s essential for car crash victims to seek medical treatment immediately after an accident to protect their legal rights. If a back injury requires physical therapy, surgery, or medication and affects a person’s ability to work and live a high-quality life, taking legal action can help patients cover the cost of their treatments and losses.
Bone Fractures
The harsh forces car accident victims experience commonly cause bone fractures. These injuries can include everything from hairline cracks to compression fractures to compound breaks in the bones that support the arms, hands, legs, ankles, ribs, and face. Fractures can cause extreme pain and immobility. Although most of these injuries heal with medical treatment, it can take months to fully recover. Serious bone breaks can become infected and may require surgery in order to mend. They can also limit mobility, lead to muscle atrophy and arthritis, and affect a person’s ability to live well. After a car accident, patients should seek out prompt medical care and get an X-ray or CT scan to identify fractures. This helps them build a legal foundation for pursuing compensation for treatment.
Soft Tissue Common Injuries
Car crashes frequently cause soft tissue injuries that damage the body’s connective tissues. Bruises, sprains, strains, and tears to muscles, tendons, and ligaments can cause discomfort, stiffness, and swelling. Even though these injuries may seem less serious than TBIs or fractures, they can cause extreme pain and limit mobility when left untreated. Symptoms of soft tissue injuries sometimes take days or weeks to appear and months to heal fully. Prompt medical treatment can help improve outcomes and ensure that a patient can take legal recourse to secure damages for their injuries.
Cuts, Lacerations, Abrasions, and Burns
During an automobile collision, shattered glass, sharp metal, and other debris can cut through a victim’s skin and tissues. Victims who get dragged across concrete may experience frictional abrasion or “road rash.” If the accident exposes their skin to extreme heat, they could experience burns that require treatment with surgical procedures like skin grafts.
Although superficial lacerations may heal quickly, deep wounds can cause blood loss and disfigurement. Cuts and abrasions that require stitches or surgical treatment may leave lasting physical, emotional, and psychological scars, so crash victims who intend to pursue compensation for their injuries should seek out prompt medical attention.
Internal Injuries and Organ Damage
If moving objects strike a person during a car crash, the force of impact can cause internal bleeding and organ damage. Injuries to the lungs, kidneys, liver, and spleen can be difficult to recognize. Left untreated, they can be life-threatening. Symptoms like bruising, dizziness, and abdominal pain could be signs of internal bleeding or injury. After a serious car accident, it’s imperative to seek medical attention to check for bodily damage that could require intensive medical treatment.
Psychological Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Automobile crashes have serious psychological repercussions, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, that can make it difficult to drive, work, or resume a normal life. Victims who experience severe emotional distress after a car accident should consult an attorney about their right to seek damages.
Understanding the Legal Implications of a Car Crash
After a car accident, being aware of your legal rights is key to protecting yourself, keeping your options open, and achieving a full recovery. Victims who are injured in automobile accidents may potentially be entitled to receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. To discuss your case and seek damages, reach out to a Texas attorney. It can be challenging to navigate the legal system and deal with insurance companies after an accident. An experienced attorney can help ensure you receive everything you deserve.
Claiming Compensation for Common Injuries After a Car Wreck
When you are in a car crash, you may be entitled to financial compensation for your injuries. A car accident attorney Huntsville Texas can help you deal with insurance agents and file a lawsuit for damages.
Texas law allows you to pursue compensation for losses, including:
- lost wages
- medical expenses
- damaged property
- psychological trauma
- pain and suffering
- loss of consortium
- funeral costs
If another driver’s negligence caused your injury, you can take legal action. A car crash lawyer can review your case and advise you about taking next steps.
What to Do After a Car Accident
When you are in a car accident in Huntsville, Texas, be sure to take the following steps:
Contact the Authorities
After a car accident, it is important to call 911 and wait for police and ambulances to arrive if you are not in immediate danger. Do not leave the scene of the crash. If possible, move your car out of harm’s way. Cooperate with authorities and stay by your vehicle until you are authorized to leave.
Document the Accident and Gather Evidence
If you are able to do so, taking notes, photos, and videos at the scene of the accident can help you build a strong case for compensation. Record information about the crash site, the vehicles involved, and any visible injuries you have. Exchange contact information with witnesses. Be sure to get the contact and insurance information you need from any other parties that were involved in the accident. This documentation can help you establish liability and support your legal claim.
Seek Medical Attention
When you’re in a car accident, you should seek medical attention for your injuries as soon as possible, even if you believe you’re unharmed. A medical professional can examine you and check for hidden injuries to ensure your well-being. They will also create an essential record of your condition that you can use as evidence when you take legal action.
Contact the Relevant Insurance Companies
Once you have received medical treatment and have returned home, you will need to speak to your insurance company or to the other party’s insurance agent. Since the insurance company will want to minimize your payout, be sure to consult an attorney before you sign any documents or provide a recorded statement. An experienced car collision lawyer can communicate with the insurance company to protect your rights during the claims process.
Contact a Huntsville Car Collision Attorney to Discuss Your Case
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a car crash, a car accident lawyer Huntsville Texas can help you get the financial remuneration you deserve. It can be difficult to recover the damages you seek without help from a car accident attorney, and you have everything to gain by asking for assistance. A competent car accident lawyer will fully represent your interests and provide advice and assistance as you seek compensation. They will help you file your claim and ensure that you get the best medical care available. With the right help, it will be possible to recover completely and enjoy your life moving forward.