Joint injuries can be caused by repetitive motions like manual labor, but often result from car accidents as well. Your body’s joints have a lot of demands placed on them, and they can be easily injured. A crash can make them twist or bend in unnatural ways, as a defense against blunt force impact. Jamming motions, excessive pressure, and rapid movements in the legs, arms, pelvis, and back can also easily damage the joints, ligaments, and tendons.
Common joints injured in car crashes involve the knee, shoulder, neck, back, wrist, and hand:
- Knee injuries: These can occur in head-on collisions, when the driver’s knees slam into the dashboard. In side-impact crashes, the legs can get thrown back and forth. Examples of knee joint damage include a torn meniscus, patellar tendon, or cartilage, sprained ligaments, and a fractured kneecap.
- Shoulder injuries: You will see shoulder injuries more often in side-impact collisions, and they include rotator cuff tears, shoulder separations, fractures, sprains, and significant bruising.
- Back and neck injuries: These can impact the lumbar spine in the lower back or cervical discs in the neck, located in between the spine’s vertebra.
- Wrists and hands: Since the hands are unrestrained and exposed when driving, these joints are often injured in accidents. Drivers can end up with a fractured wrist bone, joint dislocations in the fingers, or ligament tears.
Joint injuries often present with serious pain, stiffness, swelling, weakness, and a limited range of motion that can improve or worsen with movement. Treatment depends on the severity of the injury and can range from over-the-counter medications to physical therapy or surgery.
What Should I Do if I am Injured in a Car Accident?
Any accident injury can show immediately or have delayed symptoms, so it is best to call for emergency services and to travel by ambulance to a hospital if anyone is seriously hurt. Otherwise, see your doctor as soon as possible. If you feel a throbbing, burning, dull, or sharp sensation, it might be best to seek treatment right away. Other concerning symptoms include noticeable stiffness, achiness, inflammation, or soreness in the joints.
When law enforcement officers arrive, answer their questions without elaborating too much on what happened, as your statements could be held against you later; never admit fault or apologize. They should provide a police report detailing what happened, but it could take a few days or weeks to get a copy.
It is also important to exchange information with the other driver involved in the crash, including names driver’s license numbers, insurance information, and phone numbers.
You can also use the camera to take pictures of the other vehicle’s license plate and damage. Do the same for any evidence that shows how the accident happened, like skid marks, downed traffic signs, and poor weather.
You will also need to report the accident to your insurance company. Now is also the time to think about contacting an experienced car accident lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and can answer your questions without any obligation.
Mount Holly Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Office of David S. Rochman Can Handle All Aspects of Your Personal Injury Claim
If you have a serious joint injury from a car accident, reach out to our skilled Mount Holly car accident lawyer at the Law Office of David S. Rochman. Call us at 856-751-2345 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, we serve clients in Burlington County and the surrounding areas.