An automobile accident can happen at any speed. And people can be hurt in a low-speed or high-speed collision. But the potential for serious injury or even death is higher in a high-speed accident than a collision at 35 mph or less. A human body sustains substantial trauma in a high-speed crash. Trauma that can be debilitating or even fatal. In this blog post, the Los Angeles auto accident attorneys at M.R. Parker Law, PC look at a few of the most common types of injuries in a high-speed car accident.
SEATBELT & AIRBAG INJURIES
We put on our seatbelts for a few reasons. First, it’s the law, and most of us like to obey that. Second, we think we’re reducing our risk of serious injury or dying in a car wreck.
Similarly, an airbag, while being something we pay no mind to until it goes off upon impact, is also seen as a life-saver.
Although these safety features are essential components of any vehicle, and no doubt save lives more than harm them, both can cause significant injuries in a high-speed collision.
For instance, a seatbelt in a high-speed wreck can cut into you from the sheer force. It can bruise or fracture your ribs. Fractured ribs have the potential to puncture your lungs; creating a medical emergency called pneumothorax.
When a vehicle’s airbag is deployed in a high-speed accident, it comes extremely fast. Fast enough to cause burns or abrasions. Someone with asthma may also respond negatively to the chemicals released on deployment. These chemicals are lung and airway irritants that can possibly trigger an asthma attack. Airbags have also been known to cause severe eye injuries.
Malfunctioning airbags are another contributing factor to injuries. An airbag that deploys just a fraction of a second too late can lead to serious injury.
INTERNAL ORGAN DAMAGE
Organs such as the heart and lungs can be bruised or swollen following a high-speed accident. The force of impact in a high-speed car accident contributes to penetrating injuries. Most commonly, objects cutting through the flesh enough to puncture an organ. The force of the crash might also push internal organs into your bones and chest wall. Seatbelts are also known to bruise internal organs in the abdominal region in accidents where driving speed was a factor.
Injuries to the spleen, liver, kidneys, and lungs are very common in high-speed collisions.
Another serious internal injury is any rupturing of the bowels due to impact. Any bile or waste leakage into your torso can lead to sepsis and death.
BROKEN BONES
In a high-speed car accident, a person’s head and limbs move until a seatbelt opposing that force stops their torso. This means someone’s head and limbs can hit many things before that momentum ends. This can result in various lacerations, bruising, and bone fractures or breaks. The most common bones affected are:
- Ribs
- Hips
- Skull
- Tibia/Fibula & Femur
- Arms & Wrists
- Clavicles
Bone fractures or breaks aren’t only painful but they can also lead to days of hospitalization and missed work. If they’re permanently debilitating, they can also mean lost earning capacity.
HEAD & BRAIN INJURIES
Even with safety devices like a seat belt and airbags, your head whips back and forth upon impact. This means it may strike a steering wheel, the windshield, dashboard, side window, or objects within the vehicle. In a high-speed car accident, the brain is jarred far more than its natural cushioning can protect. This increases the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI). That risk increases even more if you’re not wearing a seat belt or not wearing it properly.
SOFT TISSUE INJURIES
When there’s high-speed impact, Ligaments, tendons, and muscles can all be stretched too far or in unnatural ways. This can be a serious issue for someone with a pre-existing degenerative problem, particularly of the spine.
For instance, whiplash is much more harmful to someone with pre-existing degeneration of the spine. Any pre-existing neck and back problems will be further aggravated. The ligaments, tendons, and muscles are already in a deteriorated state. So are the disks and bones that make up the spine.
Deterioration has made them fragile and unable to withstand the force of a high-speed collision. This means someone with a herniated disc, bone spurs, or arthritic bones“ cannot weather the whiplash of a high-speed auto crash as well as someone with healthy disks and bone structure. No different than how a tree already damaged by tree rot or lightning is more likely to fall in a serious windstorm than a healthier stronger tree in the same woods or forest.
DELAYED PAIN & FEELING
Many people feel fine in the minutes following a car wreck. They’re not in pain. They’re responsive. They’re sharp cognitively – able to make quick decisions. They’re physically capable of helping themselves and others involved in the accident get to safety.
They might even deny medical attention or an ambulance ride to the ER.
DON’T DO THAT.
What’s happened is your body is pumping you full of adrenaline and endorphins in response to the trauma. Even if you saw it happen and can now see a visible sign of injury, the adrenaline and endorphins are controlling the messaging now. And that message is to temporarily block out the feeling of any physical pain to get you through this moment.
Meanwhile, others might go into medical shock because of inadequate blood flow. Psychological shock is another response some may have. These people aren’t in a clear state of mind to think or act following the accident. They also may not be recognizing pain or be aware they’re losing blood.
This lack of sensation may also be due to a spinal cord issue that’s brought about nerve damage.
The bottom line is to ALWAYS get a medical evaluation!
INJURED IN A HIGH-SPEED COLLISION IN LOS ANGELES?
If you’ve sustained injuries or you’ve lost a loved one in a high-speed car accident, talk to the Los Angeles high-speed collision attorneys at M.R. PARKER LAW, PC and find out what your case is worth! Call us today at (818) 334-5711 or complete our online contact form to schedule your free no-obligation case review. And we don’t get paid until we get money for you!
