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Reference: Bing. (n.d.). Bing. https://sandovalpllc.com/infographic/common-car-accident-injuries/

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What are the Most Common Injuries

in a Car Accident?
Auto manufacturers build vehicles with durable, rigid parts designed to keep you safe in a crash.
For instance, your car’s steel frame and laminated glass windshield are fabricated to safeguard you
and your passengers by providing vehicle integrity in a collision.

Unfortunately, components that keep you safe in one instance can cause injury in another. A
person’s fragile tissues, organs, and bones can be lacerated, punctured, or shattered when impacted
by the metal and glass of an automobile.

Car accident injuries commonly fall into one of two categories:

 Impact injuries: A part of the injured person’s body strikes a stationary object or is hit by a
moving object. For example, a head-on collision can result in a head injury due to impact
with the steering wheel or a rapidly expanding airbag.
 Penetrating injuries: An object pierces the wounded individual’s skin, creating lacerations or
other open wounds. For example, shattered glass from the car’s window could penetrate a
person’s skin or even lodge into a muscle or cause eye damage.

Which Types of Car Accident Injuries

Typically Lead to Fatalities?
When a car accident occurs at high speeds or involves a pedestrian, fatalities are a real possibility.
In addition, the degree of damage to a victim’s body can be significant in these situations, with
injuries that go far beyond surface cuts or bruises.

Some of the most common injuries that lead to a car accident fatality include:
A Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by a blow to the head or penetration through the skull
into the brain tissue. As a result, torn tissues, bruising, and bleeding can happen. In severe cases,
TBIs can lead to life-long complications and possibly death.

Mild cases of TBI may result in a decline in mental state or unconsciousness. Severe cases result in
long periods of unconsciousness, coma, or fatality.

A Spinal Cord Injury

A sudden impact from another vehicle or object can jar the body, leading to a spinal cord injury.
There may be significant damage to the spinal cord or nerve endings.

According to the Mayo Clinic, spinal cord injury symptoms include loss of movement, difficulty
breathing, and coughing. Spinal cord damage can also lead to paralysis or limited body function. A
total severing of the spinal cord can also lead to death.

Internal Injuries and Bleeding

Victims may not know about their internal injuries until they arrive at a hospital emergency room.
At that point, a doctor can examine the patient to diagnose the damage and attempt to stop the
bleeding. However, internal bleeding can happen quickly, leading to an unexpected fatality before
medical treatment is available.

Broken Bones
Broken bones can cause death if bone fragments puncture an organ. For instance, fractured ribs can
pierce the lungs, heart, intestines, liver, or other vital organs.

Like other internal wounds, locating and identifying the injury can be complicated. Therefore, a
patient may not receive adequate treatment for their injuries.

Reference: Morelli Law. (2023, August 20). Common causes of death in car accidents | Morelli Law Firm.
https://www.morellilaw.com/faqs/what-injuries-commonly-cause-death-in-car-accidents/
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Reference: Columbus, Ohio car accident attorneys. (2023, September 7). Colombo Law.
https://www.colombolaw.com/columbus/car-accident-lawyer/