Neck & Head Injuries From a Car Collision
One of the most common injuries in a car accident is trauma to the neck or head. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, neck injuries made up approximately 66 percent of bodily injury liability claims and 57 percent of personal injury protection claims in 2007. Other injuries are possible, including brain injuries, lacerations and bruising, and broken bones in the skull and face.
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Car Collisions
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Injuries can be caused in many different ways when a person is involved in a car accident. Rear-end collisions are the most common cause of whiplash. Collisions can also be front-end or side-impact collisions. The vehicle may strike another vehicle, a pedestrian, a solid object or another animate or inanimate object. Injuries can also be caused when a vehicle rolls over.
Traumatic Brain Injury
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A traumatic brain injury is a trauma that damages the brain. According to All About Car Accidents, this can be caused in a car collision when the head strikes the window or steering wheel. It can also be caused from whiplash when the brain is shaken within the skull. Brain injures can be open or closed head injuries. In the case of car collisions, most brain injuries are closed head injuries, meaning that nothing penetrated the brain. All About Car Accidents states that each year 50,000 people die from traumatic brain injuries.
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Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
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There are many symptoms common to traumatic brain injuries. Some of the physical symptoms include headaches, fatigue, impaired speech and vision and problems with balance. Other problems may include memory loss, difficulty concentrating and communicating and impaired judgment. Brain injury may also cause emotional difficulties for the victim, such as anxiety or depression.
Neck Injury
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The neck is a very flexible part of the spine. This makes it very susceptible to injuries from sudden movement, such as what may be experienced in a car collision. Whiplash is the most common of these injuries. Whiplash may be a sprain or a strain of the neck. Neck strain is injury to the muscles while sprain is injury to the ligaments. Other injuries that may occur in a car collision are herniated discs and pinched nerves.
Prevention
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Every collision is different and not all collisions can be avoided with safe driving. It is important to take advantage of the safety features of your vehicle. It is important to wear seat belts and be sure that children are properly secured in child seats. Airbags can help prevent serious injury in a front-end collision. Head restraints (or head rests) should also be positioned behind the head to help prevent whiplash.
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References
- Photo Credit car crash image by dawn from Fotolia.com
