A car accident in Atlanta, GA can result in physical injuries and property damage. It is typically possible to recover damages from an at-fault driver for these losses. You can do so with the help of an Atlanta car accident lawyer.
The actual amount of damages you can recover depends on a number of factors. A key factor among these is the nature and severity of your injuries. For major injuries which take longer to heal, compensatory damages are typically greater reflecting the greater medical costs and lost wages involved. For minor injuries, the damages are likewise smaller.
Factors That Affect the Nature of Injuries
The precise nature of your injuries in an accident also depends on a number of pre-accident factors. These include:
Speed of Collision
The speed at which your vehicle collides with another vehicle or object contributes largely to the nature of injuries involved. Low-speed collisions may result in injuries as minor as a mild whiplash. High-speed collisions can result in spinal cord injuries, head trauma, loss of limbs, and even the death of a victim.
Use of Seat Belt
The use of a seat belt secures an occupant within a vehicle. In the event of high-speed collisions in particular, seat belt use can help save major injuries and prevent fatalities. So the use of a seat belt also determines how severe or mild your injuries are after an accident.
Availability of Airbags
Airbags can cushion the impact of the collision. However, they must open at the right time and in the right manner. Some vehicles have airbags that deploy properly while others either lack airbags or have ones that don’t work properly. The proper function of airbags can dramatically affect the nature of injuries in a crash.
Common Types of Car Accident Injuries
Car injuries can range from negligible to fatal. Many different types of injuries can occur between these two extremities. Here is a look at these.
Soft Tissue Injuries
These are usually the mildest form of car accident injuries. As the name suggests, this category of injuries involves damage to muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Examples include whiplash, which is caused by a sudden jerk movement in the neck area during a collision.
A whiplash injury typically involves neck pain, restricted next movement range, and headaches. Similarly, muscle spasms in the back can be caused by a crash. Although not typically serious, soft tissue injuries are nevertheless painful and can take some time to heal.
Back Injuries
The impact of a collision can result in back injuries. Such injuries vary in their nature and severity from one car accident to another. However, if a back injury involves damages to the spinal cord, this may result in permanent or temporary disabilities. In such an event, the injury can be a life-altering experience and you are entitled to seek commensurate damages for it.
Head Injuries
Head injuries typically occur when your head collides with the steering wheel, window, or another object during a high-speed collision. A head injury can result in cuts and bruises in the head area, fractured skull, or brain trauma.
When the injury is limited to the skin and skull, damage may be limited. But when the injury also impacts the brain, the damage can be extensive. In such a case, the victim may go into a coma or suffer long-term disabilities.
Chest Injuries
Chest injuries are particularly common among the drivers involved in a car accident. This is primarily because of a driver’s position directly behind the steering wheel. In the event of a collision, the driver’s chest may suffer the impact of the steering wheel which can lead to broken ribs and other internal injuries in the chest area.
Limb Injuries
Injuries to the arms and legs are common in accidents where vehicular damage is significant. Such damage to the vehicle may cause your legs to become trapped and injured. In more severe cases, limb injuries may even result in loss of limbs. Compensatory damages sought for such an immense loss can be hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.
Why Hire an Atlanta Car Accident Lawyer?
When you suffer injuries in an Atlanta accident, it is your right to hold the at-fault driver accountable. One way of doing this is to seek the maximum amount of compensation for your losses. Here at the Greene Law Group, we work with you to understand the short-term and long-term impact of your crash-related injuries on your life.
Our lawyers then help you file for medical costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, as well as other types of losses in your claim. Get in touch today to discuss your car crash claim with our lawyers.
