What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries?
May 2022

Car accidents happen every day. While minor collisions, like slight fender benders or side swipes, typically leave Georgia drivers unharmed, other more severe accidents can lead to serious injuries.

Regardless of how seemingly minor your car accident was, you should always seek immediate medical attention. Some car accident injuries, like whiplash, can be sneaky and asymptomatic until hours or days after your accident. Prompt medical intervention will increase your chances of a speedy recovery and a fair insurance claim payment.

Head Injuries

Head injuries are one of the most common and serious types of car accident injuries. When your vehicle strikes an external object at high speed, your head can hit the steering wheel, dashboard or windshield, causing injuries to your brain. Depending on the severity of the impact, these injuries can range from mild concussions to life-altering traumatic brain injuries. The long-term effects of a TBI may include chronic headaches, memory loss, communication problems and other cognitive challenges.

Back Injuries

The impact of a car crash can result in an acute straining or spraining of your back. If this happens, you may hear or feel a pop at the time of your accident. You may also experience muscle spasms, pain and difficulties with standing, walking and bending.

People involved in car accidents can suffer from a herniated or bulging disc due to impact injuries. This happens when there’s damage to the soft cushions between the bones of your spine. Some people don’t experience any symptoms, but for those who do, a herniated disc may cause pain in the arms or legs, numbness and muscle weakness.

Neck Injuries

Another common car accident injury is whiplash, which is a sudden and forceful back and forth movement of the neck, often caused by a rapid drop in speed or change in direction. Even a low-speed impact can cause whiplash.

Whiplash is typically a result of rear-end vehicle accidents, and the telltale signs of this type of injury may include neck pain and stiffness, decreased range of motion in the neck, dizziness and headaches.

Chest Injuries

Car accidents can result in injuries to the chest area, which may lead to rib fractures and damage to the lungs or heart. The latter can be especially dangerous for people with pre-existing cardiovascular problems as they’re at risk of going into cardiac arrest from the trauma of an accident.

Limb Injuries

It’s common for accident victims to suffer various injuries to the arms and legs, including broken bones, sprains and dislocations. Typically, broken bones are accompanied with bruising, pain and swelling of the limb.

Bone dislocation happens when the impact of a crash causes your bone to move or dislodge. A dislocated shoulder, knee or elbow will appear out of place and may include other symptoms like pain, bruising, swelling and a loss of mobility or range of motion.

Internal Injuries

A vehicle accident usually causes noticeable injuries, but it may also cause considerable damage to your internal organs. This is commonly referred to as organ damage or internal bleeding. Major blunt force trauma may damage your lungs, liver, stomach or other areas of the body. Because these injuries are invisible to the eye, they may be more difficult to detect.

Typically, pain, low blood pressure, bruising and blood in the urine accompany internal bleeding, but symptoms may vary depending on which area of the body is injured.

Get Non-Invasive Treatment for Your Injuries with Non-Surgical Orthopaedics in Georgia

If you’ve suffered a car accident injury, our dedicated physicians and staff are here to help. Our medical team offers a variety of non-surgical treatments, including pain management injections, to help you recover from your injuries and manage pain during your rehabilitation.

To schedule an appointment at our Marietta or Carrollton office, call 770-421-1420 or send us a message.