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What Happens To Your Body In A Car Accident?

What Happens To Your Body In A Car Accident?

Not every car crash is the same, and this is best shown when some accidents result in minor injuries while others result in brain trauma. The difference may not be as obvious as you think, because many severe injuries can occur at speeds most people wouldn’t consider dangerous. For example, you can sustain an injury from an accident going between 10-15 mph – you can go faster in a school zone.

So, what exactly happens to your body in a car accident? Well below we’ve broken it down by crash type:

Head-on Collisions
In frontal collisions the human body continues traveling forward after the impact. This clashes with other safety features in your car which are designed to stop said movement, specifically your seatbelt and airbag. Depending on the force of the crash, they could:
Break or fracture collarbones
Break ribs (and a broken rib could potentially puncture a lung)
Cause temporary or permanent blindness (if the airbag impacts your eyes)
Injury your neck or spine (as airbags can cause your head to snap backward)

Rear-end Collisions
Rear-end collisions are typically the most common accident type, and opposite to frontal collisions, these cause the body to abruptly move backwards. This shifts majority injury from your front to your back which stores a vital part of your body – the spine. Injuries caused by rear-end collisions include (but are not limited to):
Tearing of spinal ligaments
Disc herniation
Fractures of vertebra (which can lead to a broken neck or paralysis)
Concussion or traumatic brain injury

Side Collisions - The T-bone Accident
Also known as T-bone collisions, these can be lethal at low speeds. The reason for this is because car doors and their supporting columns aren’t meant to take a heavy impact. And with nowhere else to go, these structures cave inwards resulting in:
The occupant being crushed
Severe injuries to the thorax, pelvis, upper body, and internal organs
Neck and spinal injuries
Additional head injuries resulting from sudden motion of crash and there being no side head restraint

Perhaps the most important injury that can result from a car accident, is the overall impact it can have on your life. Car crash survivors can experience PTSD or survivor’s guilt which can affect behavior and mental health, taking many years to heal compared to physical injuries. It’s not only important to drive safely & defensively but to pick a car with safety in mind. Drive safe Atlanta.

Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert - Owner & Attorney

Attorney Jennifer Gore-Cuthbert was seriously injured in a collision and experienced firsthand dealing with uncooperative insurance companies. She knows what it is like to feel overwhelmed and under-educated about your rights after a collision. That is why she has dedicated this firm to fighting for accident victims and their loved ones. The goal of The Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group – Gore LLC is to provide you with excellent legal advice, based on our experience in representing injured automobile drivers and passengers from all across the State of Georgia.

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