Being in a car crash can cause severe injuries. Even a minor fender bender can do some damage. Within milliseconds of impact, your body is subjected to forces that can cause injuries you may not even realize for hours or days.
Car accidents are traumatic events that can leave both physical and emotional scars. But knowledge is power. Understanding what happens to your body in a car accident can help you recognize signs of injuries and get the treatment you need.
You should call 911 right away if experience head trauma, broken bones, chest pain, or signs of internal injuries after a car accident in Atlanta. Once you leave the hospital, our team at Hurt 911 can help you on the road to recovery.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment at our Atlanta injury center or one of our other locations in Georgia.
Internal Injuries in a Car Crash
In a car crash, your internal organs can suffer damage from the impact and your seatbelt.
- Spleen: Your spleen is especially vulnerable in a collision. It’s a soft, squishy organ that filters your blood and stores extra blood cells. The force of impact can rupture or lacerate your spleen, causing internal bleeding.
- Liver: Your liver sits in the upper right part of your abdomen, and crash impacts can bruise, tear or cut this vital organ. An untreated liver wound can become infected, cause bile leaks, or lead to long-term liver damage or failure.
- Intestines: In a car accident, your intestines can be crushed or punctured. An untreated intestinal perforation can lead to a dangerous infection in your abdominal cavity called peritonitis. Intestinal tears may require surgical repair.
Broken Bones and Sprains
Broken bones and sprains are some of the most common injuries in car crashes. The force and impact from a collision can easily fracture your bones or damage your joints and ligaments.
Your arms, legs, ribs, and collar bones are the most likely to break in an accident. As your body is thrown around, these limbs often take the brunt of the impact against the interior of the vehicle. You may notice immediate swelling, bruising, or deformity of the bone.
Strains refer to damage to your tendons, the tissues connecting muscles to bones. Both sprains and strains cause pain, swelling, and difficulty moving the joint. Applying ice, compression, elevation, and rest can help, but severe sprains may also need physical therapy or bracing during recovery.
Head and Neck Trauma
In a car crash, your head and neck can experience severe trauma from the impact and jolting movements. Two of the most common injuries are whiplash and concussions.
When your vehicle is hit, your head is suddenly jerked back and forth in a quick motion, straining the muscles and ligaments in your neck. This causes pain, stiffness, and limited range of motion, known as whiplash. Symptoms may appear within a few hours or days after the accident.
A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that occurs when your brain is shaken inside the skull upon impact. Concussions often cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, confusion, or memory problems. You may lose consciousness briefly or feel dazed.
Contact HURT 911 for Treatment and Legal Help!
Your body goes through a lot during a collision, even at low speeds. It’s important to get checked out by a doctor right away, as some injuries may not seem serious at first but can worsen over time without proper treatment.
The sudden impact activates your body’s fight or flight response, flooding your system with adrenaline. This adrenaline rush masks the pain from any injuries you may have sustained. You could walk away from an accident thinking you’re perfectly fine, only to feel the effects hours later.
It’s always best to get evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible after a crash. Don’t delay—call HURT 911 today at 404-687-9000 or 1-800-HURT911 anytime 24/7. Our caring doctors and staff will evaluate your injuries and start a treatment plan. Your health and well-being are our top priority.
Our doctors work on a lien basis, which means we get paid once your car accident case is settled and we won’t hassle you for payment during the course of your case. So there is no health insurance needed! We work with a team of top personal injury lawyers in Atlanta and throughout Georgia.
Contact us today for a free consultation!
