Common Car Accident Injuries That You Need to Know About

Car accidents are traumatic and can be life-changing, depending on the type and severity of injuries incurred. Victims may require multiple surgeries and long-term hospitalization, along with extensive medical care in case of severe injuries.

Often, the damage caused by a motor vehicle accident is beyond physical. It can negatively affect the victim’s quality of life, career, and financial position. The economic costs of car accidents are estimated to be approximately $897 for every person injured in the US. In addition to this, statistics also show that each year, nearly two million people on average suffer from permanent injuries after a car crash. Furthermore, about 1.6 million vehicle collisions occur due to cell phone use while driving.

Besides distracted driving, other causes of car accidents include speeding, reckless driving, vehicle design defects, weather conditions, drunk driving, and running red lights.

One woman in the car with neck pain after a rear end car accident

No matter what the cause may be, a severe car accident can change your life forever. Below is a list of the most common injuries sustained by car accident victims:

Brain Injuries

Upon impact with another vehicle, victims can suffer from brain injuries, such as traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can result in mild to severe concussions. It is a serious injury to the brain. TBI can impair the sensory and cognitive functions of the brain, thus negatively affecting the quality of life of the victim.

In addition to this, the recovery period is also long and slow. In some cases, recovery can be uncertain. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), nearly 30% of the deaths in car accidents are because of traumatic brain injuries.

Head Injuries

Car drivers and passengers are both at risk of head injuries if involved in high-speed crashes. Due to the speed, their heads may strike against the steering wheel, dashboard, and windows. Head injuries can often lead to loss of hearing, vision problems, and skull fractures.

Back or Spinal Cord Damage

Another common car accident injury is back or spinal cord damage. The impact of the collision and torque on the victim’s body can injure the spine. Any damage to the spine can significantly damage the nerves and muscles. Since the human body is not designed to bear heavy impact, collisions can take a toll on the back, resulting in partial and sometimes even total paralysis. The pain and disability, as a result of a spine injury, can hamper your movement and decrease your quality of life.

Middle-aged man with neck pain after being rear ended in a car accident

Neck injuries

A car accident can result in neck injuries. This type of injury is more common in rear-end collisions. A sudden movement can damage the neck muscle and ligaments. Neck injuries include whiplash, neck sprain, cervical radiculopathy, upper vertebral fractures, and dislocation fractures.

Whiplash is the most common of them all. This is a soft tissue injury that occurs when the force from the car collision jolts the head violently back and forth, similar to a whipping motion. Symptoms of a whiplash injury include severe pain in the neck, dizziness, headaches, back pain, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, and stiffness in the neck. Treatments may include a combination of different therapies like massage therapy, physical and range-of-motion therapy, muscle relaxants, and surgery (if the damage is extensive).

Chest Injuries

The blunt force trauma from a car collision can affect the chest area, resulting in collapsed lungs and broken ribs, muscle strains, and contusions. Apart from this, internal bleeding in the chest area can be a serious problem following the accident. It requires immediate medical attention as delays can lead to death.

Abdominal and Pelvic Injuries

These injuries are common in head-on car collisions. However, the severity of abdominal and pelvic injuries depends on the seat position, weight, and height of the victim.

Leg and Knee Injuries

Victims of a head-on car collision are also vulnerable to leg and knee injuries. They may experience contusions and fractures in their legs and lower extremities, while common knee injuries include:

  • ACL and PCL tears.
  • Ruptured tendons of the knees.
  • Joint dislocation.
  • Hyper-extensions of the ligaments in the knees.

Due to the complex system of the nerves and tendons in the knees, these injuries can lead to severe mobility complications for the victim.

adult leg injury sitting on wheelchair with plaster foot.

Shoulder Injuries

The shoulders of the car driver can also be injured in an accident. This happens from the absorption of the force after the driver braces their hands against the wheel. Due to the accident’s impact, the shoulders lock in position and receive excessive force, resulting in serious injuries.

Facial Scars and Injuries

Such injuries may be caused by impact with the wheel, dashboard, airbag or broken glass windows, and windshield. Disfiguring facial injuries may require multiple surgeries. In some situations, these injuries can leave a lasting scar on the victim’s face.

The Bottom Line

All these car accident injuries require immediate medical treatment, which, in some cases, can be costly, especially if your doctor advises surgery and hospitalization for months. These expenses can put an enormous burden on you and your family financially. Therefore, it is advisable to file a personal injury claim to get compensated for your losses and injuries.

As the legal process is complex, you should consider seeking professional help. Contact our team of experienced and compassionate North Carolina and South Carolina auto accident lawyers for legal representation. Our motor vehicle accident attorney can handle all aspects of your case while you focus on your recovery.

At the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, we will do whatever we can in conformance with the law to get you full and fair compensation. Our goal is to get you fairly compensated to gain financial stability and get the best medical treatment needed to get back on the road to recovery.

Get in touch with our experienced motor vehicle accident attorney today to discuss your case and the injuries incurred.

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Notice of Data Security Event
Updated March 28, 2025

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is providing notice of an event that may affect certain individuals’ information. Although we have no indication of identity theft or fraud in relation to this event, we are providing information about the event, our response, and additional measures individuals can take to help protect their information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

What Happened? On October 28, 2024, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor identified suspicious activity related to our email system. We quickly took steps to investigate and determined that an unknown actor may have accessed certain emails within our email system between August 7 and November 7, 2024. We then conducted a comprehensive review of the potentially affected emails and attachments to determine what information was contained therein and to whom the information related, which was completed on February 25, 2025. Unfortunately, we were unable to verify the addresses of certain affected individuals, so we are providing this notice to ensure potentially affected individuals receive information about the event.

What Information Was Involved? The information affected may include individuals’ Social Security number, driver’s license and state ID information, financial account number, and health information.

What We Are Doing. We are notifying individuals about this matter and providing guidance about free resources that are available to assist with monitoring relevant accounts, credit reports, and how to place a fraud alert or security freeze on one’s credit file. Further, as with our typical security practices, we will continue to evaluate our policies, procedures, staff training, and technical security measures to reduce the likelihood of an event like this reoccurring.

What Individuals Can Do. We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. We also recommend you review the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Personal Information”.

For More Information. If individuals have questions about this matter, we have a dedicated assistance line with agents ready to answer their questions. Please contact our toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m., excluding holidays. You may also write to us at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, Attn: Compliance, P.O. Box 2688, Hickory, NC 28603.

Sincerely,

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 1-202-442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/.

For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, individuals have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this event.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT A MINOR DEPENDENT’S PERSONAL INFORMATION

Typically, credit reporting agencies do not have a credit report in a minor’s name. To find out if a minor has a credit report or to request a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number each credit bureau has its own process. To learn more about these processes or request these services, consumers may contact the credit bureaus by phone, writing, or online:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/request-child-credit-report/
https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resources/child-identity-theft

1-800-685-1111 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

To request information about the existence of a credit file in a minor’s name, search for a minor’s Social Security number, place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report (if one exists), or request a copy of a minor’s credit report consumers may be required to provide the following information:
● A copy of their driver’s license or another government issued identification card, such as a state identification card, etc.;
● Proof of address, such as a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, insurance statement, etc.;
● A copy of the minor’s birth certificate;
● A copy of the minor’s Social Security card;
● The minor’s full name, including middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc.;
● The minor’s date of birth; and
● The minor’s previous addresses for the past two years.

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