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A minor car accident injury is one that the victim makes a full recovery from, one that does not cause long-term or permanent harm or mobility impediment. Even a minor fender bender or low-speed collision can produce serious injuries, so it’s important to seek medical care right after a crash. After the impact, your body releases adrenaline, which masks pain and makes movement through the injury easier, so it’s easy to think you’re not badly hurt. A medical evaluation on the same day properly diagnoses hidden injuries and provides a treatment plan to ensure you make a full recovery.
Even so-called minor injuries can impact your life for months after the crash, affecting your ability to work or care for your family. You’re entitled to collect compensation for medical care and rehabilitation, and an experienced Fort Lauderdale car accident lawyer can help you pursue it.
What are the most common minor injuries in a car accident?
The most common types of injuries people suffer in minor car accidents are mostly soft tissue injuries, not broken bones or internal organ damage. They include:
- Whiplash: Sudden, violent movement of the head and neck that overstretches the ligaments and muscles of the neck
- Sprains and Strains: Torn or overstrained ligaments or muscles, most often in the knees, shoulders, and back
- Contusions: Caused by the pressure of the seatbelt or hitting the door or car’s interior, contusions are bruising under the skin
- Cuts and Scrapes: Flying objects or glass can cause painful gashes that may leave permanent scars
- Minor Concussions: Mild brain injuries caused by a blow to the head
How are minor injuries different from serious injuries?
Serious injuries may leave the victim permanently disabled or disfigured. Minor injuries are recoverable, although the victim may be in pain, have limited mobility, and may have some scarring.
The long-term effects of serious injuries can significantly affect your earning potential, mobility, and independence. More severe injuries leave the victim’s life permanently altered.
Financially speaking, the medical costs for minor car accident injuries are much less than those for serious injuries, and so your case value will be lower than someone who is hurt more seriously.
Why can “minor” injuries be more serious than they seem?
Adrenaline blocks pain; it may be a couple of days before you realize how badly you’re hurt. Mild sprains, for example, may hide a deeper bone fracture or torn ligament that requires surgery to repair.
Or, you may think you have a mild concussion at first, only to realize, when you have chronic headaches, difficult concentrating, and dizziness that doesn’t go away, that your brain trauma is more serious. A delay in the diagnosis of internal bleeding and internal organ damage can be even more dangerous, as it can lead to dangerous conditions like sepsis.
Should you see a doctor and a lawyer for a minor injury?
Even if you don’t think you’re hurt, you should have a medical evaluation to rule out any “invisible injuries,” like soft tissue injuries, internal organ damage, fractures, and internal bleeding.
You should also talk to a personal injury lawyer about your situation. Even if it seems straightforward, and the other driver is clearly liable, what they say at the scene and what they tell their insurance adjuster about who caused the crash can be wildly different. A lawyer can help ensure that the insurance company has an accurate idea of what happened.
Speak with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath about your injuries
Do you need skilled legal representation after a wreck? Contact Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey, & Fronrath for a free consultation. Call (561) 655-1990 today. We have decades of experience, and we’re ready to fight for you so you can concentrate on your recovery.