Car accidents in Seattle are common on I-5, I-90, and other major highways and roads throughout the city. Our experienced Seattle car accident attorney protects the rights of people injured in these crashes, helping them get the compensation they need to recover.
Unfortunately, even a relatively minor collision can cause devastating harm. More severe crashes can be life-threatening and often leave victims facing long recoveries, costly medical bills, and long-term disabilities. At Washington Injury Law, we want you to know the risks. The following details common car accident injuries in Seattle and how to protect your rights in a claim.
Neck, Back, and Spine Injuries From Car Accidents In Seattle
Statistics from the Washington State Department of Transportation (DOT) reveal that close to 4,000 people suffer car accident injuries throughout the Evergreen State each year. Neck and back injuries are common and can happen in even seemingly minor collisions.
The sudden and violent nature of a crash can strain muscles, ligaments, and discs throughout the back and neck area. Whiplash is one of the most common examples. It can happen when your head gets jerked back and forth in a crash, overstretching soft tissues in the neck. In the aftermath, victims often report stiffness, headaches, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating.
In addition to whiplash, other common car accident injuries in Seattle that affect the back and neck include:
- Muscle and tendon sprains, strains, or tears;
- Herniated or bulging discs;
- Fractured vertebrae and compression injuries;
- Nerve damage, such as sciatica;
- Spinal cord injuries.
These injuries are not only painful but also expensive to treat, requiring physical therapy, injections, or surgery. Unfortunately, even with medical treatment, they can cause chronic pain and long-term disability.
Because symptoms aren’t always apparent at first, victims often hesitate to get the immediate medical care they need. In addition to endangering your health, this could jeopardize your rights in a Seattle car accident injury claim.
Seattle Car Accident Head Injuries and Traumatic Brain Injuries
Head injuries are another category of common car accident injuries that can change a person’s life forever. Crashes can cause drivers and passengers to bump their heads on a steering wheel, window, dashboard, airbag, or other objects. Even without direct impact, the Washington State Department of Health warns that slamming on the brakes, swerving, and sudden stops can cause the head to whip back and forth violently, impacting neural pathways.
Car accident injuries in Seattle that impact the head or brain can cause physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments. Common types of head and brain injuries that can happen due to a crash include:
- Traumatic brain injuries, which impact how the brain functions;
- Diffuse axonal injury, one of the most potentially devastating types of brain injury, causes widespread damage to nerve fibers (axons);
- Skull fractures and hematomas, resulting in bleeding in or around the brain;
- Concussions.
- Post-concussion syndrome, which can happen to people who have suffered prior head or brain injuries, can cause potentially permanent impairments.
Among the injuries from car accidents, those impacting the head or brain are among the most dangerous. Symptoms often include dizziness, difficulty communicating, and feeling “foggy” or excessively tired after a crash. Downplaying the situation and waiting to get treatment can have potentially life-threatening consequences.
Fractures, Lacerations, and Other Common Car Accident Injuries In Seattle
In addition to neck, back, and head trauma, bone fractures are also among the most common car accident injuries in Seattle. These often impact arms, legs, ribs, or hips.
Beyond broken bones, other injuries from car accidents in Seattle that can have significant impacts on your health include:
- Cuts and lacerations, resulting in scars and infections;
- Torn muscles or tendons, and damage to knees, wrists, shoulders, or other joints;
- Crushing injuries, which can lead to loss of limbs;
- Burn injuries, requiring extensive and painful treatment and resulting in potentially permanent disfigurement;
- Internal bleeding, which can indicate damage to body organs or systems.
The varied nature of these injuries emphasizes why a complete medical evaluation after a crash is so important. In some cases, a Seattle car accident injury is apparent right away. Others require a more thorough examination to determine the degree of damage and how it could impact your health and mobility.
Injuries from Car Accidents: How To Protect Your Rights To Compensation
When a car accident injury in Seattle happens due to reckless behavior on the part of other motorists, you have the right to hold them liable. Under the Washington Revised Code, damages available include coverage of all medical costs, lost income, property damages, and pain and suffering.
To protect your health, safety, and your rights to compensation in a Seattle car accident injury claim, take these steps to protect yourself:
- Report any crash or collision to law enforcement immediately.
- Get copies of the policy report and contact information for other drivers involved.
- Take photos or videos showing the crash site, property damage, and your injuries;
- Get contact information for witnesses who may have seen what happened.
- Visit the local hospital, urgent care clinic, or your doctor for treatment, regardless of the seeming severity of your injuries.
Once you get initial treatment, adhere to any treatment plans and activity restrictions. Keep a file with statements from providers, medical bills, test results, and other documents to use as evidence.
Before Settling With Insurers, Contact Our Experienced Seattle Car Accident Attorney
Even relatively minor car accidents in Seattle can cause serious harm. From whiplash to broken bones and internal trauma, common car accident injuries often require long recoveries and expensive treatment.
At Washington Injury Law, we represent crash victims throughout Seattle and King County, from Downtown (98101) to South Lake Union (98109) to Rainier Valley (98144) and beyond. Before settling with insurers, contact our office.
Our experienced Seattle car accident attorney fights to get injured victims and their families compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. Reach out today to request a consultation.