Everyone appreciates the freedom a motor vehicle brings. You can travel wherever you wish, whenever you wish, without having to ask for a ride or take public transportation. However, as you seem to know, using automobiles can pose personal injury risks to motorists as well as pedestrians.
Unfortunately, the number of collisions that occur in Pennsylvania is troubling. Lehigh County alone experienced more than 500 distracted driver crashes, nearly 200 aggressive driver accidents and more than 320 drunken driver crashes in 2015. It is logical to assume many of these victims lived in or near Allentown.
Personal injury associated with auto collisions can range from minor to catastrophic. Some of the most common of these injuries include the following.
- Neck injuries: Examples include whiplash, vocal cord paralysis (usually temporary) and general neck pain and swelling. Those suffering from whiplash could face serious neck ligament and muscle damage.
- Chest injuries: Examples include internal organ trauma, collapsed lungs, broken ribs and even cardiac arrest in those with heart problems. Internal bleeding can also occur and could threaten the victim’s life.
- Back injuries: Examples include severe spinal cord injury, nerve damage, permanent or temporary paralysis and herniated discs. Even relatively minor spinal cord trauma can cause loss of control over certain parts of the body as well as reduced sensation.
- Head injuries: Examples include skull fractures, injuries affecting hearing or vision and traumatic brain injury. The latter could be serious enough to affect the victim for a lifetime.
If you have suffered personal injury due to a motor vehicle accident, it is wise to plan for current and future medical care. A personal injury attorney is usually an excellent source of guidance and can advise you on how a legal action may help your situation.
Source: FindLaw, “Types of Car Accident Injuries,” accessed Feb. 05, 2018
