What Happens to Your Body After a Car Accident?
A car accident is a huge deal. Even a seemingly minor one can cause a lot of damage to your body.
When you’re driving in a car, your body and the vehicle are moving at the same speed in the same direction. Based on Newton’s First Law of Motion, an object in motion will stay in motion until it is disrupted by an outside force. In the event of a car accident, the body absorbs kinetic energy. Your body will continue to move forward at the same speed as the car until some other object stops it.
If you’re not wearing a seat belt, your body will likely collide with the steering wheel or window, causing a brain injury or other serious injury. This is why car crashes are much more dangerous when you’re not wearing a seatbelt. Seat belts are designed to restrain your body during the impact, so that your body does not absorb the force of the crash.
Instead, the vehicle does the work of absorbing the energy. In fact, many modern vehicles are designed with a crumple zone at the front of the car. This zone is specially designed to absorb force during an impact to keep the occupants safe.
Despite seatbelts and crumple zones, serious injuries can still occur. There are a lot of factors at play in terms of what makes a car accident severe. The types of vehicles involved, the speeds of both vehicles, whether or not you were wearing a seatbelt, and the types of safety features in your vehicle will all play a role in determining the injuries you will suffer.
The thing is that not all injuries are present at first. You might notice something like a broken bone right away, but internal bleeding or back pain may not show up until several days later. This is often due to the shock and adrenaline involved in a car accident.
Car accidents can result in a wide range of injuries, but the most common ones include whiplash, concussions, brain injuries, knee injuries, herniated discs, and spinal cord injuries. Neck and shoulder pain, back pain, cognitive impairment, loss of consciousness, and memory problems may also occur, especially in rear-end accidents.
In a T-bone or side impact crash, broken bones are likely to occur. While some vehicles are equipped with side airbags to help protect occupants, most cars have less structure protecting occupants from side collisions. This means that bodies are more vulnerable to blunt force trauma.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Car accidents can affect your body in many ways. You may suffer from physical, mental, and emotional harm that lasts for many years.
The aftermath can be severe. Make sure you are fully compensated. A Houston car accident attorney from The West Law Office, PLLC can assist you. We’ll give you the legal advice you need. Schedule a consultation today by calling 281-347-3247 or filling out the online form.
Source:
alexanderorthopaedics.com/blog/what-happens-to-your-body-after-a-car-accident/
