Car Accident Injuries that Require Long Term Rehabilitation
Car accidents are one of the leading causes of injuries in the United States. Each year, about 2.4 million people visit the emergency room for injuries sustained in a car crash. A car accident can cause various injuries, ranging from minor to catastrophic.
When you get into an accident and suffer injuries, it’s not just the pain. You’ll need a lot of time to treat those injuries, recover, and return to your previous state. It is an ongoing process that requires immediate care and long-term rehabilitation treatment. This piece will help you identify the injuries that affect your body for many months, sometimes for years.
Below are some car accident injuries that can impact your quality of life:
Brain Injury
Brain injuries leave a victim with a variety of different symptoms that may include personality changes, memory loss, vision problems, and seizures.
A blow or jolt causes brain injuries to the head that disrupts the brain’s normal function. Injuries to the head can also cause bleeding within the brain. Brain damage can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of the injury.
- A minor injury may cause a brief loss of consciousness and a few hours of confusion.
- Moderate injuries may cause several days of unconsciousness, headaches, vision problems, and mood swings.
- Severe injuries can result in life-threatening complications and long-term disability.
The severity of brain injury depends on how quickly medical care was received. Suppose you have suffered a brain injury due to another person’s negligence. Experienced car accident lawyers can help you pursue compensation for your medical expenses and damages to compensate you for pain and suffering caused by your accident or fall.
Spinal cord Injury
Spinal cord injuries can cause you to lose motor skills and sensation in certain parts of your body. Some spinal cord injuries are mild, while others are severe. The degree of damage depends on the force of impact, where damage occurs in the spinal cord, and if there is damage to the vertebrae. Spinal cord injuries can cause you to lose control over certain muscles or sensations in your arms or legs. The body part that loses function or sensation because of a spinal cord injury is called a “sensory level.”
The first 24 hours after a serious injury are crucial for someone who has suffered a spinal cord injury. Spinal nerves send messages from the brain to the rest of the body, telling us what we feel, move and think. If these nerves are damaged, it can be difficult for doctors to predict how much feeling and movement will return. The most important thing is not to move an injured person unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Whiplash
Whiplash is a common type of soft tissue injury that occurs due to sudden, forceful movement to the neck. One study found that whiplash injuries occur in about 75 percent of all motor vehicle accidents. In some people, whiplash can cause mild to severe symptoms for weeks or even months after the initial injury.
Treatment for whiplash may include rest, exercise, and physical therapy. With proper treatment, most people with whiplash make a full recovery within three months. However, some individuals experience chronic pain and disability from whiplash injuries.
Severe Lacerations
Lacerations are cuts to the skin caused by an outside force. Severe lacerations typically occur when someone is thrown from their vehicle during an accident. Lacerations may require stitches and sutures to repair the damage caused by the collision. Treatment also includes cleaning and disinfecting the wound to reduce your risk of infection. If a laceration is large enough, you might need surgery to repair muscle or skin tissue that was damaged in the accident. Severe lacerations often lead to scarring that you’ll have to bring for the rest of your life.
Loss of motor skills
Motor skills refer to the coordination between your brain, nervous system, and muscles. If you lose some or all of these functions due to a car accident, it can make it difficult for you to perform daily tasks such as bathing, dressing yourself, eating, and even walking.
A loss of motor skills can have a major impact on your ability to function independently. It can also affect your self-confidence. Many people who have suffered these injuries will be required to undergo extensive rehabilitation to regain any semblance of normalcy. This rehabilitation is often performed at a facility that specializes in this type of care. This is beneficial not only for the patient but also for the family. Frequently, extended family members will need to provide additional care for their loved ones after an injury such as this occurs. This can compromise their livelihood as well as their health and well-being.
Amputation
Amputation is one of the most severe injuries you can have from a car accident. It occurs when an object pierces your limb, damaging the nerves and tissue beyond repair. The result is either amputation or removal of a limb. Amputation can involve any part of your body – arms, legs, hands, feet, or toes. But it’s more common in the limbs than in internal organs like your heart or brain.
When someone has an amputation, it is crucial for them to have a long-term goal of living a happy and fulfilling life despite their disability. It is also important to have the support of friends and family when dealing with an amputation.
Many amputees experience phantom pains in the amputated part, which may be caused by nerve damage. Pain can also be caused by a neuroma, which is a bundle of nerves regrowing in the remaining muscle and skin after surgery. Many amputees feel uncomfortable if their prosthetic limbs do not fit properly or move easily. Psychological trauma is also common among amputees.
Why is Long-term rehabilitation needed?
Long-term rehabilitation refers to ongoing treatment that focuses on restoring or improving your physical abilities that were lost or diminished due to your accident. Treatment plans may involve one or several health care professionals, including physical therapists, occupational therapists, nurses, and doctors, depending upon the severity of the injury.
Talk to an experienced personal injury lawyer.
If you were the victim of a car accident and you are suffering from injuries that require long-term rehabilitation, consider visiting a clinic. Long-term rehabilitation includes all kinds of treatments, medications, and therapies that can help you get your life back on track after your accident. Speak with doctors who specialize in car accident injuries. They will tell you that it is not uncommon for people to experience different kinds of pain even six to twelve months after their accidents.
