When a negligent driver slams into your car, whether you were driving on I-79 or a local road in Elkins or Buckhannon, you and your passengers can sustain serious injuries that may require costly treatment and months or years of ongoing therapy and rehabilitation. With the help of a skilled West Virginia personal injury attorney, however, you may be able to recover compensation for your medical costs and any additional losses associated with the accident.
Devastating West Virginia Car Accident Injuries
If you were in any type of collision, it is important that you go to the emergency room or see your doctor as soon as possible for a full medical assessment—even if you don’t think you are seriously injured. It can take several days for some car accident injuries to become noticeable, and you may lose valuable evidence for a personal injury claim if you delay seeking treatment.
You may suffer one of the following types of injuries in a West Virginia crash:
- Brain injuries. You can suffer a concussion or other traumatic brain injury (TBI) when your head hits the steering wheel or dashboard, but your brain can also be damaged when you are thrown back and forth or badly shaken in a crash. TBIs can cause serious permanent injuries, including loss of motor skills and decreased cognitive functioning. Treatment can involve immediate emergency surgery and life-long rehabilitation.
- Spinal cord injuries. When the spinal cord is damaged by broken vertebrae or by debris from a crash, the victim can be permanently paralyzed from the point of damage down. Medical costs for treating a paralyzed person over a lifetime can be in the millions of dollars.
- Broken bones. Broken arms and legs are very common in collisions, and compound fractures of these appendages can lead to long-term difficulties. When the pelvis, neck, hips, or joints are crushed or fractured, the victim may need multiple surgeries and extensive care and rehabilitation.
- Internal injuries. Vital organs can be bruised or lacerated in a violent collision, leading to internal bleeding and possible organ failure. Many victims are not aware they have suffered internal injuries unless they see a doctor right away. Surgery is often necessary to treat internal injuries.
- Soft tissue injuries. Strains and sprains—particularly whiplash—are commonly suffered in car accidents, but can be very hard to prove in a personal injury claim. It is important that you be evaluated and diagnosed by a doctor and that you follow all medical advice in your treatment.
- Burns. Leaking fuel can lead to a fire after a violent collision. Anyone trapped in a car could suffer serious third-degree burns requiring extensive treatment, skin grafts, plastic surgery, and more.
- Amputations. A limb may be so badly damaged in a collision that it has to be amputated. This is particularly true in motorcycle crashes. After suffering the loss of a limb, a person will need long-term physical therapy and rehabilitation and expensive medical devices such as wheelchairs and prosthetic limbs.
- Emotional injuries. The trauma of a crash can trigger an emotional response in victims that can affect them for many years afterward. Regardless of how serious the physical injuries are, a car accident victim may need years of therapy to cope with emotional injuries.
Many of these injuries can also prove to be fatal. In West Virginia, motor vehicle crashes end in fatalities at a rate higher than the national average. Between 2006 and 2010, there were 20.56 motor vehicle fatalities per 100,000 population in West Virginia compared to a national average of only 12.38 fatalities per 100,000 people. If you lose a loved one in a car accident, you may be able to sue for wrongful death damages.
How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help
When the crash that left you or a loved one seriously injured was the fault of a negligent driver, you deserve to be compensated. An experienced personal injury attorney can make sure the damages cover the total cost of your current and future medical expenses and other losses.
Attorney Ty Nestor will fight to get you the compensation you need after a devastating West Virginia car accident. Call to schedule your free consultation today.
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