The most common types of vehicle accidents and injuries.
According to figures gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimated 3 million people are injured in car accidents every year. While vehicle accidents and injuries differ from one accident to another, there are some types of injuries which are more common.
Vehicle accident injuries may resolve on their own.
A small number of vehicle accident injuries may resolve on their own, over a course of time. However, without treatment, even these injuries can result in scar tissue. Most vehicle accident injuries (whether a car accident, truck accident, bus accident, motorcycle accident, bike accident or pedestrian accident) will need treatment.
Serious and catastrophic injuries can result in permanent injuries or disability.
Are there factors that affect the type and severity of injuries sustained by an accident victim?
The answer is “yes.” The severity of injuries depends on several factors. These factors may include some or all of the following:
- Type of car accident – was the victim injured in a rear-end collision (hit from behind), T-bone accident (hit from the side), side-swipe accident or front impact accident?
- The position of body – was the injured party facing forward at the time of impact, or was his/her head and/or body turned to a certain direction?
- Seat belt – was the injured party wearing a seat belt?
- Property damage – how much damage did the vehicle sustain?
- Location – did it injury causing accident occur on surface streets or the freeway?
- Speed – was the injury causing accident considered a low-impact collision or high-impact collision?
- Airbags – was the vehicle equipped with airbags and did the airbags deploy?
Impact v. Penetrating injury
Personal injuries from vehicle accidents are further placed into 2 broad categories:
- Impact – An impact injury generally occurs when part of the accident victim’s body hits a portion of the interior of the vehicle, such as one’s head hitting the side window or the head rest, or the chest hitting the steering wheel.
- Penetrating. A penetrating injury generally penetrates the skin and results in cuts and scrapes. This usually occurs when glass shatters or loose objects fly inside the vehicle and strike the victim.
What is the most common type of injury in a car accident?
The most common type of injury is soft tissue.
Soft tissue injury refers to damage caused to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. A classic example of soft tissue injury is whiplash, which refers to injuries to the muscles and ligaments surrounding the neck. Such an injury usually occurs as a result of the sudden acceleration-deceleration force in rear-end collisions, and drivers and passengers are generally more prone to suffering from whiplash when their heads are turned to one side, or they are looking up or down (this takes us back to the type of car accident and position of body discussed earlier).
Soft tissue injuries can also cause upper, mid and/or low back injuries, including pain, soreness, and stiffness.
We are here to help
Regardless of the type of vehicle accident or injury you may have suffered, we can help you. The Mason Law Firm is managed by personal injury attorney Mason Rashtian, who
- Has an “AV” rating with Martindale Hubble, which means he has the highest rating an attorney can achieve;
- Is a member of The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyers, professional organization composed of the premier plaintiff trial lawyers;
- Has a 10.0 rating with Avvo; and
- Has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau.
We can and will evaluate your case and educate you as to your options. What makes us unique is that Mason Rashtian has litigated thousands of cases on both sides of the issue (from the defense side and the plaintiff’s side). As such, he is very experienced in litigating all forms of vehicle accidents and types of injuries.
Our Contact Info:
Phone: 661-270-5677
Email: [email protected]
The Mason Law Firm
28494 Westinghouse Place, Suite 202
Valencia, CA 91355
This article is brought to you by Mason Rashtian of The Mason Law Firm, a full-service personal injury attorney and accident lawyer. We represent clients all throughout California and Los Angeles County, including the Santa Clarita Valley, Valencia, Stevenson Ranch, Canyon Country, Newhall, and the entire San Fernando Valley.
We can be reached at (661) 270-5677.
This article is meant for informational purposes only.