Colorado Auto Accident Guide

Understanding Your Auto Accident Injury

At The Law Offices of Dianne L. Sawaya LLC, we are proud to say our attorneys are well respected by the Denver medical community. Not only does our team understand the types of injuries that can result from a crash, but also each lawyer can competently explain the medical specialties and procedures to a client in need of answers.

We also take pride in our ability to get our clients connected with the right doctors and specialists in a timely manner, making sure their health and well-being is put first after an accident. Our team understands that time is major factor when it comes to healing, and wants to make sure you can begin the process with the help you need right away.

The type and severity of your injuries can depend largely on the type of accident you were involved in. High-speed accidents, understandably, are more likely to cause more severe injuries, even fatalities.

Below are some breakdowns of common auto accident injuries on Colorado roadways. Please note that this not an all-inclusive guide—there are a wide range of injury types, both short-term and long-term, that can stem from a crash.

Back, Neck, and Spinal Injuries

One of the most common auto accident injuries you’ve likely heard of is whiplash, also known as cervical sprain or strain. Even if a crash is low impact, passengers can still walk away with severe whiplash. Even fender-benders and parking lot accidents can leave a person aching with whiplash symptoms, impacting their daily life.

Whiplash is sometimes difficult to diagnose right away, as it could take hours (or even days) for symptoms to appear.

A few common whiplash symptoms to be on the lookout for include:

• Neck pain and stiffness
• Worsening of pain with neck movement
• Insomnia or sleep disturbances
• Muscle spasms
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Vertigo
• Blurred vision
• Loss of range of motion in the neck
• Tenderness or pain in shoulder, upper back, or arms
• Tingling or numbness in the arms
• Fatigue
• Ringing in the ears
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory problems
• Depression

While it may seem like you could overcome a few of these symptoms on your own, it’s important to consider how they affect your daily life, especially your ability to work. If your job requires much physical activity, a high level of concentration, or even just being on your feet for a majority of the day, imagine how terrible neck pain, headaches, or blurred vision could affect you. If you sit at a desk at work, consider the discomfort of severe neck pain while trying to focus on a computer screen.

As you can see, the effects of whiplash can greatly diminish your quality of life.

If you have been diagnosed with whiplash, or believe you may be suffering from some of the symptoms mentioned above after a car or truck accident, don’t try to “just deal with it.” Your health is important to your quality of life—contact an experienced Denver injury attorney to get the help you need.

Traumatic Brain Injury and Concussions

Sadly, we have seen some of the most devastating car accident injuries affect the head and brain of those involved. Concussions are one of the most common types of auto accident injuries..

If you or a loved suffered a head injury during a car accident, look for these concussion symptoms:

• Headache or “pressure” in head
• Balance problems or dizziness, or double or blurry vision
• Nausea or vomiting
• Sensitivity to light
• Just not “feeling right” or “feeling down”
• Increased time asleep
• Slurred speech
• Anxiety
• Feeling sluggish, hazy, or groggy
• Confusion, or concentration or memory problems

Within the past decade, awareness of the long-term effects of concussions has taken a spotlight in the media. These types of injuries alter your brain function, and not for the better. Difficulty concentrating can affect your quality of life, and can persist long after the accident.

Cuts and Broken Bones

If you have suffered a severe laceration (cut) or broken bone, much of your healing time and functionality will be dependent on the location of the injury. For example, if you break your leg in a car accident, you will not be able to walk normally for weeks, possibly months. A broken or severely injured hand can hinder your ability to carry out simple tasks (carrying things, typing, picking up your children, etc.), not to mention your ability to perform work-related tasks.

Lacerations may require stitches (internal and external), or even plastic surgery. You may even suffer psychological effects if you suffer severe facial lacerations.

While broken bones and cuts may seem like everyday injuries, the toll they can have on your everyday life quickly adds up. Time away from work, surgeries, rehab, limited mobility, and medical bills are all reasons to contact an experienced Denver car accident injury attorney for help.

Your Injuries are Unique to You

While we’ve covered some very common auto accident injuries above, please note that no two injuries are exactly alike, and all require individualized attention and care from competent medical professionals. Our team can get you in contact with doctors and specialists you can trust after a car accident injury, and get you on the path to healing.

On the next page of our Denver Auto Accident Guide, we’ll discuss how an attorney can help you during this often confusing and difficult time. Click the button below to move on.

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