Injuries after a car accident can be physically, emotionally, and financially challenging. Our personal injury attorneys are here to help you navigate the complexities of personal injury claims. Book a free consultation today at Michael T. Gibson, P.A., Auto Justice Attorney . You can either call our office in Orlando at (407) 422-4529 or fill out one of our short contact forms.
Unfortunately injuries resulting from car accidents are common in Florida, ranging from minor bruises to life-threatening trauma. According to the latest statistics from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV), over 160,500 injuries related to Automobile accidents took place in the state last year alone. This article discusses physical and psychological injuries after a car accident in Florida and the importance of consulting an experienced auto accident attorney.
Are Car Accidents in Florida Leading to More Injuries?
In the latest data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles there were 394,255 crashes in 2023. These incidents encompassed a variety of outcomes, including:
| Types of Crashes | Total Number |
| Injuries from All Crashes | 252, 855 |
| Total Injury Crashes | 164,132 |
| Total Fatal Crashes | 3,192 |
| Fatalities from All Crashes | 3,412 |
The average monthly Total Injury Crashes in Florida was 13,677, with the highest recorded in March 2023, totaling 15,316 incidents, followed by Oct 14, reporting 14,292 total injury crashes.
Reportedly, Interstate 4, Interstate 95, and U.S. Route 1 are considered the three most perilous highways in Florida. Their notoriety stems from being frequent locations of fatal crashes, compounded by their heavy traffic flow, with numerous vehicles traversing them each day. Like many other states, most accidents were caused by speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, reckless driving, careless driving, and aggressive driving.
How Car Accidents Cause Injuries?
Car accidents can cause injuries primarily due to the sudden and forceful movements that occur during a collision. Here’s how these injuries typically happen:
Impact Forces: When two vehicles collide, the abrupt stop or change in speed can exert significant force on the bodies of the occupants.
Penetration Injuries: Sharp or loose objects inside the car, such as glass or metal, can become projectiles during an accident. These objects can cut, impale, or bruise.
Compression: In more severe crashes, parts of the car’s structure can be crushed or deformed, trapping or compressing occupants between or against components of the car, leading to fractures, internal injuries, or even fatalities.
Ejection from the Vehicle: Occupants not wearing seat belts, or in cases where the impact is severe enough to break windows or doors, may be ejected from the vehicle. Being thrown from the car significantly increases the likelihood of severe injuries or death.
Secondary Collisions: After the initial impact, occupants can collide with objects inside the vehicle, such as the steering wheel, dashboard, windows, or other passengers, which can cause additional injuries.
Roll-over Injuries: In accidents where the vehicle rolls over, occupants can be tossed around inside the vehicle, leading to multiple trauma points from various angles, which can cause complex injury patterns.
What are the most common injuries after a car accident?
After a car accident, some common injuries include whiplash, head and brain injuries, neck and spinal cord injuries, broken bones, soft tissue damage, internal injuries, facial injuries, mental, and emotional injuries. Regardless of the immediate symptoms, if you’ve been in an accident, seek medical attention immediately.
Physical Injuries After Car Accident in Florida
Whiplash is among the common injuries sustained in car accidents. It happens when the head is abruptly jerked forward and also backward, causing strain on the neck ligaments and muscles. Symptoms may involve headaches, neck pain, dizziness, and stiffness. If you’ve experienced whiplash after a car accident, seek immediate medical attention to prevent long-term complications. Other injuries include:
Head/Brain Injuries:
They can range from mild concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Symptoms may include headache, confusion, nausea, and loss of consciousness. Even a seemingly minor head injury can have serious consequences, therefore consider undergoing an exhaustive medical evaluation after a car accident.
Neck and Spinal Cord Injuries:
Often, such injuries can result in paralysis or permanent disability. Symptoms may include numbness, tingling, weakness, or loss of limb movement. Prompt medical treatment and rehabilitation are essential to prevent further damage and improve outcomes.
Broken Bones and Fractures:
Car accidents can cause fractures and breaks in the bones, such as the arms, legs, ribs, or pelvis. Symptoms may include swelling, bruising, and difficulty moving the affected limb. Treatment may involve immobilization, surgery, and physical therapy to restore function.
Soft Tissue Damage:
Soft tissue injuries, such as strains, sprains, and contusions, are common in car accidents. They affect muscles, ligaments, and tendons and can result in pain, swelling, and limited mobility. Proper rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE) therapy can help manage symptoms and promote fast healing.
Internal Injuries:
Hemorrhaging from crushed or torn blood vessels including organ damage or bruising may not be immediately apparent after a vehicular collision. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, dizziness, or fainting. Some internal injuries may not become symptomatic for several days. It’s imperative to see a doctor and start treatment as quickly as possible.
Chest and Rib Injuries:
These are common in car accidents, mainly due to the impact of seat belts or steering wheels. Some symptoms are chest pain after car accident, difficulty breathing, and tenderness over the ribs. They range from minor bruising to more severe conditions like fractured ribs or punctured lungs.
Facial Injuries:
Lacerations, bruises, or facial fractures can result from impact on the dashboard, steering wheel, or airbag. Examples of symptoms includee swelling, bruising, and difficulty chewing or speaking. A short trip to the hospital may help prevent infection and minimize scarring.
Burns:
Most burns occur due to contact with hot surfaces, broken glass, or deployed airbags during a car accident. Symptoms may consist of pain, redness, or blistering, including serious complications like infection, dehydration, permanent scars, amputation, and even death. Proper wound care and treatment are vital to prevent infection and promote healing.
Amputations:
Severe car accidents can culminate in traumatic amputations or crush injuries to the arms and legs. Victims will experience severe pain, swelling, and loss of limb sensation or movement. Immediate medical attention helps assess the extent of the injury and prevent complications.
Don’t wait to seek medical attention even if you feel “OK” following a car crash. Schedule a consultation with an experienced auto accident attorney who can help you understand your legal rights and options.
Mental and Emotional Injuries After Car Accident
In addition to physical injuries, serious car crashes can also lead to psychological trauma. The following are potential mental and emotional injuries individuals may experience after an auto accident:
Anxiety and Panic Attacks:
Car accidents can trigger feelings of anxiety and panic, especially when driving or riding in a vehicle. Symptoms may include racing heart, sweating, trembling, and shortness of breath.
Depression:
The emotional aftermath of a car accident can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair. Depression may manifest as a loss of interest in activities, changes in appetite or sleep patterns, and difficulty concentrating.
PTSD or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder:
PTSD is a severe anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing a traumatic event, such as a car accident. Most accident victims experience flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and avoidance of reminders of the trauma.
Emotional Trauma:
Car accidents can bring about significant emotional and psychological distress, leading to feelings of fear, anger, guilt, or shame. It helps to seek professional mental help to process these emotions and develop healthy coping strategies.
Sleep Disturbances:
Difficulty sleeping is common after a traumatic event like a car crash. Insomnia or other sleep disorders may result from nightmares, intrusive thoughts, or heightened arousal.
Fear of Driving or Riding in a Car:
After a car accident, some individuals may develop a physical fear of being in a vehicle, known as vehophobia. This dread can be debilitating and may require therapy to overcome.
Social Withdrawal:
An auto collision can disrupt social relationships and lead to feelings of isolation or alienation from the outside world. Maintaining social connections and seeking support from loved ones during this challenging time is highly advisable.
Cognitive Impairment:
Difficulty concentrating, memory problems, irritability, and anger issues are well-documented symptoms experienced following a car crash. They can affect daily functioning and may require therapy or medication to manage.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life:
The physical and emotional consequences of a car crash can impact an individual’s ability to enjoy activities they once loved.
If you’re experiencing psychological distress after an auto accident, don’t suffer in silence. Seek help from a mental health professional who can provide support and guidance on your road to recovery.
Potential Compensation for Emotional or Mental Injuries After Car Accident
When seeking compensation for psychological harm after a car accident, investigators consider factors such as injury severity, the impact on daily life, and the recovery prognosis. Like other personal injury claims, you can obtain economic and non-economic compensatory damages for emotional distress.
Economic damages cover medical expenses for consultations with psychiatrists or other mental health professionals and relevant treatments. In addition to economic damages, you may also pursue non-economic damages for the emotional suffering from the auto accident and resulting injuries.
Fortunately, Florida has no cap in the amount claimable for non-economic damages in personal injury cases (excluding medical malpractice lawsuits), provided they are substantiated with appropriate documentation such as bills and receipts.
However, Florida has a nuanced and complicated law that requires an accident victim have suffered a “permanent injury, to a reasonable degree of medical probability, to recover non-economic damages for a car accident claim. What a “permanent injury” is comes down to the testimony of your doctors. Evidence required to support a claim may include medical records, therapy notes, and expert testimony from mental health professionals. In cases of egregious negligence or misconduct, punitive damages may be awarded to punish the at-fault party and deter similar behavior in the future. In case you’re struggling to cope with the aftermath of a road accident, Attorney Michael T. Gibson can guide you in filing a claim for emotional or mental injuries.
Compensation for Physical Injuries After Car Accident
After a car accident, victims may be entitled to the following types of compensation to cater for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering:
Medical Expenses and Ongoing Treatment:
Awarded monies may cover medical bills, hospital stays, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and ongoing medical care related to the car accident injuries.
Rehabilitation and Therapy Costs:
Damages may include the costs of physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, or other rehabilitative services to aid in recovery and improve functional outcomes.
Current and Future Lost Wages or Decreased Earning Capacity:
If injuries result in missed work or diminished earning capacity, compensation may be awarded for lost wages, benefits, bonuses, or future earning potential.
Pain and Suffering Damages:
Car accident victims can be remunerated for physical pain, emotional suffering, and mental anguish due to an auto collision and resulting injuries.
Wrongful Death Settlement:
If the at-fault party’s negligence leads to vehicular homicide, they must pay damages to compensate surviving family members for funeral expenses, loss of financial support, mental pain and suffering, etc.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident, don’t go through the mentally demanding and often protracted process of filing a lawsuit alone. Contact a skilled personal injury lawyer to assess the full extent of your damages and pursue maximum compensation for your injuries.
What to Do if You Got Injured After a Car Accident in Florida
If you or a loved one got injured in a car accident in Florida, take these steps:
- Check for injuries and seek medical attention even for minor injuries, call 911 if needed,
- Report the Accident to the police.
- Document as much as possible with photos and gather witness contacts.
- Exchange Information with all drivers involved.
- Notify Your Insurance Company promptly.
- Keep Records of all related expenses.
- Consult a car accident attorney to discuss legal options and ensure your legal rights are protected.
Get Legal Help If You Have Been Injured in Car Accident in Florida
Navigating the aftermath of a car accident can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with stubborn insurance adjusters on top of physical injuries and emotional trauma. That’s where the dedicated team of legal professionals at the law office of Attorney Michael T. Gibson comes in. Years of representing car accident victims in Florida have afforded us the knowledge, resources, and expertise to advocate for your rights in pursuit of fair compensation.
Regardless of the damages you’ve incurred following a car accident, we’re here to provide compassionate support and aggressive representation every step of the way. From investigating the accident scene to negotiating with insurance companies and litigating in court if necessary, we’ll work tirelessly to achieve the best possible case outcome. Call 407-422-4529 or fill out our Online Contact Form to schedule a free case assessment; let us help you hold the at-fault party responsible for their negligent conduct.
407-422-4529