Even the most common types of injuries caused by car accidents can be dismissed by the insurance company. It's possible they don't believe the extent of your injuries or that they are trying to blame you for the injuries. Another possibility is that they simply aren't empathetic to the pain and trouble the accident has caused you.
If you have suffered any of the five injury types below, you can take comfort in knowing that our Indianapolis car accident lawyer is currently working with clients across the state who are in a similar situation. It's likely we can start working on your case the same day and provide you with answers that are going to give you immediate comfort.
With regard to the insurance company, we'll send a letter telling them that they are not to contact you and we will be handling the claim from now on.
Most Common Car Accident Injuries
The top 5 injuries sustained by our car accident clients in Indiana often include one or more of the following:
- Closed head injuries. Closed head injuries are referred to by a number of names, including "traumatic brain injury (TBI)," "brain stem injury," "subdural hematoma," and in the most serious instances, "brain death." True to its name, a closed head injury occurs when the brain has been traumatized yet there is no visible injury such as a laceration or other external wound. Over 570,000 car accident victims suffer closed head injuries every year. Of these, over 25 percent will are dead on arrival at the hospital. Closed head injuries are often misdiagnosed, as the symptoms may not occur immediately. In addition, hospital staff or a doctor may not administer immediate care if symptoms do not appear suddenly. Often it's a lack of timely care and victims ignoring symptoms that can negatively affect their long-term health. The severe consequences and difficult task of recognizing a closed head injury is why it is often referred to as the "silent epidemic."
- Orthopedic injuries. These injury types often include broken bones, but they can also include strained or sprained muscles and torn ligaments or tendons. The likelihood of suffering an orthopedic injury during a car crash is fairly large. However, the severity often depends upon speed, position in the vehicle, non-seat belt use, and the type of crash (T-bone vs. rear-end collision). The most common type of orthopedic injury sustained in a car accident is whiplash.
- Whiplash. It is often assumed that whiplash is only caused by a rear-end car accident. However, this injury can be caused by any accident type that causes a sudden jerking of the head and when the vertebrae are forced out of place, resulting in sprained or strained ligaments and muscles surrounding the misaligned vertebrae. Whiplash is a common soft-tissue injury and its symptoms may not be apparent immediately after the car accident. It may take days or even weeks to surface. Some common symptoms of whiplash our clients have experienced include: headaches, jaw or neck pain, vertigo, radiating pain in the arms, back and legs, ear ringing, and dizziness. Whiplash often requires multiple courses of physical therapy, and though most clients report finding relief after two to four weeks, more severe cases may require lengthy, expensive medical care.
- Spinal injuries. Any damage to the spine, no matter how minor, needs to be treated delicately. Spinal injuries are by far the largest cause of car accident victims losing partial or full use of one or more of their extremities. Most paralysis victims will experience a loss of function or sensation below the injured portion of the spinal cord. Great advances in spinal research have led to promising treatment options. However, if the car accident was severe, and if the spinal cord sustained irreversible damage, a person's ongoing treatment costs may require expert negotiation with the insurance company.
- Emotional stress. Even the smallest car accident can cause some degree of mental distress. After the accident, no matter the size or circumstances, the thought of driving or riding in a car may cause stress and anxiety. If the crash was especially traumatic, a person may even become afflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is often heard in reference to war veterans. However, it is also a frightening reality for car crash victims. Those afflicted by PTSD may have a hard time sleeping. The person may also relive the event over and over again throughout the day, rehearsing the sequence of events leading up to and after the crash. There are also examples of clients and victims who refuse to acknowledge the car accident and do everything they can to avoid speaking about it or traveling near the scene of where it happened. The good news is that treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder is possible, and often very successful. However, insurance companies may not cover the treatments. In this case, it's time to contact us to help you cover the costs of ongoing therapy and recover for your damages.