3 life-changing injuries after a motor vehicle collision

On Behalf of | Jun 22, 2021 | Personal Injury |

Crashes can involve countless factors from driver experience and weather conditions to the types of vehicles and the force of the impact. While any collision contains the risk of a serious injury, crashes involving large trucks or high speeds tend to result in life-changing damage that can derail the life of the victim and his or her entire family.

While any type of injury can have catastrophic results, there are three types of injuries that are commonly associated with extended medical treatment and a lifetime of accommodations:

  • Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): Whether it effects the structure of the brain or the function, a TBI can dramatically change the victim’s life. Individuals suffering from a TBI can struggle with a broad range of symptoms from chronic headaches and blurred vision to a loss of balance and ringing in the ears. Often associated with concussions, a TBI can ultimately change an individual’s life when resulting in cognitive impairment, memory loss and coma.
  • Spinal cord damage: Injuries to the spinal cord can lead to paralysis. Depending on the position of the injury along the spine, the damage can lead to various types of paralysis. Three most common types of paralysis are hemiplegia (an arm and a leg on the same side of the body are effected), paraplegia (both legs are effected) and quadriplegia (the arms and the legs are effected).
  • Amputation: A motor vehicle collision can be so severe that it results in the loss of one or more limbs. Either from being crushed or being forcefully removed by the vehicle impact, the loss of a limb will likely take decades to adapt to.

While these injuries are generally defined by modifiers, they are still catastrophic. Vehicle occupants who suffer these types of injuries will likely face surgery, extended hospital stays and lengthy physical therapy. Additionally, injuries might require home modifications such as the construction of wheelchair ramps.