Author: Sami Tabbaa
Car accidents can happen when we least expect them. While it may only take a few seconds to get into a crash, the consequences of a car accident can be long-lasting. Depending on your injuries, it might take years to make a full recovery. Throughout your recovery, you will likely have numerous medical appointments, costing thousands of dollars. Furthermore, you might be out of work, adding to your financial stress. When your car accident results from another driver’s negligence, you should contact the car accident attorney Sami Tabbaa of Tabbaa Law. He can launch a thorough investigation into the accident and hold the liable party accountable for their actions.
What Injuries Are Common Following a Car Accident?
After a car accident, you should always seek medical attention. You must remember that not all injuries show symptoms right away, but a doctor can diagnose and begin treatment. They may also diagnose any internal injuries. Furthermore, an insurance company might interpret not seeing a doctor as you exaggerating your injuries. Not scheduling an appointment with your doctor may give the insurer grounds to deny or reduce your settlement.
Some of the most common injuries from car accidents include:
- Whiplash: When another car hits your vehicle, you might jolt forward or backward. The sudden and violent thrusting can pull muscles, ligaments, or tendons. When the pulling occurs in your neck, you might suffer from whiplash. These injuries are not typically fatal, but they can cause severe pain or stiffness in the neck or shoulders.
- Traumatic brain injuries: A head injury can cause immediate damage and complications for victims. If left untreated, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) may lead to permanent brain damage or death. Symptoms to monitor for include headaches, dizziness, irritability, or vomiting. Furthermore, many accident victims assume they have to suffer a blow to the head to sustain a TBI. In reality, the violent shaking of your head in a car accident may also cause a TBI.
- Spinal cord injuries: Your spine carries nerve messages from the brain to other parts of your body. When your spine sustains an injury, it may result in partial, temporary, complete, or permanent paralysis to parts of your body. Unfortunately, there is usually no easy cure for a spine injury, and most victims undergo years of treatments, surgeries, and physical therapy to recover. However, some may never recover from a spinal cord injury.
- Broken bones: Broken legs, ribs, arms, and ankles are common in car accidents. In more severe crashes, accident victims might suffer from a broken pelvis. Severity ranges from simple breaks that only require a cast to severe breaks or fractures that require surgery to fix.
- Scrapes, cuts, and bruises: You might suffer from scrapes and cuts following a car accident. Debris, such as glass, is a common cause of cuts. Conversely, flying projectiles, such as a phone, may cause a bruise. While these injuries might seem minor, cuts may become infected if you leave them untreated. Meanwhile, a bruise might be a sign of internal bleeding.
- Internal injuries: Even if you walk away from a car accident without any external injuries, it does not mean you are fine. You might be suffering from internal injuries. Airbags can cause abdominal injuries, or you might sustain a bladder, spleen, liver, or kidney injury.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder: In addition to physical injuries, you might also suffer from a psychological injury, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). People living with PTSD may have difficulty driving again or have an anxiety attack traveling near the crash scene. PTSD can also lead to depression.
When another driver’s negligence causes your injuries, you might be able to secure compensation for your accident-related expenses, such as medical bills, property damage costs, and lost wages. However, you must first prove that the driver’s negligence was a direct cause of your injuries. Proving this might be hard on your own, so consider contacting a car accident attorney.
Speak to the Car Accident Attorneys at Tabbaa Law Today
The deadline to file a car accident claim in Georgia varies. You only have one year to file a claim if the accident involved a state vehicle, but you have two years to file an injury claim in most other cases. However, you have up to four years to file a claim if you are only seeking compensation for property damage costs. While this might seem like a lot of time, your injuries might prevent you from filing a claim on time.
When you miss the deadline, you risk a judge denying your claim, forcing you to pay for all accident-related costs out of pocket. This is why we recommend contacting a car accident attorney as soon as you are able. While you focus on your recovery, Attorney Sami Tabbaa of Tabbaa Law can handle the day-to-day aspects of your case, including gathering and reviewing evidence, speaking to witnesses, and negotiating with insurers. Having worked at various law firms throughout the Greater Atlanta area, he has the skill and experience necessary to handle car accident claims. To schedule a free consultation, call (770) 370-7881 or complete our contact form.
Auto Accidents