Vehicle accident injuries in St. Louis, Missouri, range from minor to severe, and they may require rehab or surgery. Below are some of the most common types of injuries a driver may experience.
Soft tissue injuries
Soft tissue injuries occurring in motor vehicle accidents commonly involve the ligaments, tendons, and muscles. Soft tissue damage, such as sprained wrists or ankles, after a single trauma, is often called an acute injury.
Whiplash, an overextension of neck ligaments from the head jerking back and forth, is a common sprain after an auto accident. Whiplash symptoms may not show immediately, but they may cause a limited range of neck motion, neck pain or stiffness, and headaches. Strains occur in the same manner, but they affect the joining tissue of the bones or the muscles.
Spinal injuries
Since the spine helps the body bend, twist and straighten, injuries can interfere with the processes. A more serious injury after an accident is a herniated disc, or when the gel-like vertebrae support structures get damaged. While herniated discs can occur anywhere on the spine, the lower back is the most susceptible.
Another injury is spinal stenosis, which occurs from the spaces in the spine constricting, causing pain or numbness. A spinal fracture causes a break or dislocation of the vertebrae, often causing pain that gets worse with movement.
Traumatic brain injury
A traumatic brain injury develops from the blunt force of the head striking a surface. An example of a mild TBI is a concussion, which can cause dizziness, vomiting, nausea, headaches, fatigue and balance issues.
A mild TBI may cause a brief loss of consciousness of no more than 15 minutes. A moderate TBI often causes a loss of consciousness for at least 30 minutes but under 24 hours. A severe TBI commonly causes loss of consciousness for several hours to more than 24 hours and requires hospitalization.
Even if a driver doesn’t think they are injured, they shouldn’t delay getting treatment. Medical care is essential for proving claims against at-fault drivers.
