Common Car Crash Injuries and What to Do After

 

Car accidents change lives in seconds. The physical pain, emotional distress, and financial strain that follow can overwhelm anyone. Florida’s insurance system limits compensation through PIP coverage, but victims with serious injuries have options beyond these basic benefits.

At The Grife Law Firm in Boca Raton, we stand with car accident victims throughout their recovery journey. Our car accident attorneys know Florida’s injury laws thoroughly and help clients overcome insurance hurdles to obtain full and fair compensation. We focus on your case while you focus on healing.

With decades of combined experience handling car accident claims in Florida, our legal team can determine when your injuries qualify to step outside the no-fault system. This allows us to pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and future care needs that PIP simply doesn’t cover.

What Are Common Car Crash Injuries?

Florida sees over 400,000 traffic crashes annually, resulting in approximately 250,000 injuries according to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. These injuries range from minor to life-altering, with many victims requiring extensive medical care beyond what PIP covers.

Whiplash: Neck and Spinal Injuries

Whiplash occurs when the head jerks forward and backward suddenly, damaging soft tissues in the neck. These injuries affect nearly 75% of Florida accident victims and often go undiagnosed initially. Symptoms may include neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and dizziness. More severe cases involve herniated discs and spinal cord damage that may lead to partial or complete paralysis. In Florida, approximately 12,000 people suffer spinal injuries in auto accidents each year.

Concussions: Brain Injuries

Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) affect roughly 18,000 Floridians annually in auto accidents. Even mild concussions can have lasting effects, including memory problems, concentration difficulties, persistent headaches, light sensitivity, and sleep disturbances. More severe TBIs may cause permanent cognitive impairment, personality changes, and motor function problems. Florida medical data shows that TBI victims require on average $85,000 in immediate medical care, with severe cases needing millions in lifetime treatment.

Broken Bones: Arms, Legs, Ribs

Approximately 30% of Florida car accident victims suffer fractures. The impact force during collisions frequently breaks bones in extremities, ribs, pelvis, and collarbones. Compound fractures—where bones pierce the skin—create additional risk of infection and require extensive surgical intervention. Many victims with broken bones face multiple surgeries, metal implants, and 6-12 months of physical therapy. In Florida, about 40% of car accident fracture victims report ongoing pain and mobility issues a year after their accident.

Lacerations: Cuts from Glass or Metal

Flying glass, torn metal, and impact with interior surfaces cause cuts and puncture wounds in roughly 35% of Florida car accidents. Deep lacerations often damage underlying muscles, nerves, and tendons. Approximately 15,000 Floridians require reconstructive surgery each year following serious car accident lacerations. These injuries frequently leave permanent, visible scarring that causes emotional distress and qualifies as “significant and permanent disfigurement” under Florida law—meeting the threshold to step outside the PIP system.

Internal Injuries: Organs and Internal Bleeding

Blunt force trauma damages internal organs in approximately 20% of serious Florida car accidents. These injuries often don’t show immediate symptoms but can become life-threatening within hours. Common internal injuries include:

Ruptured spleen (the most frequently injured organ)
Liver lacerations
Kidney damage
Punctured lungs
Aortic tears
Intestinal perforation

Florida emergency departments report that internal bleeding from car accidents accounts for roughly 6,000 emergency surgeries annually.

How to Assess Injuries Immediately After a Car Crash?

The first minutes after a collision matter greatly for health outcomes. Proper assessment while waiting for emergency services can help identify serious injuries that might not be immediately obvious.

Here’s what to check before medical professionals arrive:

Check Consciousness and Ability to Move

Assess whether you and others are awake, alert, and able to move extremities. Limited movement or loss of sensation could indicate spinal damage. Many accident victims initially underestimate the severity of their injuries during the shock and adrenaline rush following impact.

Look for Visible Injuries and Bleeding

Check for obvious wounds, swelling, or deformities that suggest broken bones. Control severe bleeding immediately using direct pressure. Blood loss is a leading cause of car accident fatalities, with many occurring before emergency services arrive at the scene.

Assess Pain Level and Mobility

Note areas of pain and limited movement, even if no visible injuries exist. Pain that intensifies or spreads could indicate internal injuries developing. Many serious internal injuries present initially as “just soreness” to the victim, which is why medical evaluation is critical even when pain seems manageable.

What Are the Steps to Take Immediately After a Car Crash?

Following the proper steps after a car accident protects both your health and legal rights. FHSMV statistics show that proper post-accident procedures significantly affect claim outcomes.

Check for Injuries: Self and Others

Your health and safety come first. Check yourself and others for injuries before taking any other actions. Florida emergency services report that secondary injuries often occur when people move around accident scenes without checking their condition first.

Move to a Safe Location: If Possible

If your vehicle creates a hazard and can be moved safely, pull to the shoulder or nearby safe area. Florida Highway Patrol data shows that secondary collisions occur in approximately 18% of highway accidents when vehicles remain in travel lanes.

Call Emergency Services: 911 for Immediate Help

Always call 911 after an accident with injuries. Police documentation forms the foundation for insurance claims and potential lawsuits. Florida courts give significant weight to official accident reports. These reports also help establish the crash timeline, which proves valuable for countering insurance company claims that injuries were pre-existing or unrelated.

How to Document Injuries for Insurance and Legal Purposes?

Proper documentation helps overcome insurance limitations in Florida’s no-fault system. Statistics show that well-documented claims receive on average 40% higher settlements than poorly documented ones.

Take Photos of Injuries: Use a Smartphone

Photograph all visible injuries, vehicle damage, and the accident scene from multiple angles. Florida attorneys report that photographic evidence often proves decisive in disputed liability cases. Take photos immediately and then during the healing process to show injury progression.

Seek Medical Attention: Even for Minor Injuries

Under Florida law, you must seek medical treatment within 14 days of your accident to qualify for Personal Injury Protection (PIP) benefits. About 35% of Florida accident victims lose PIP eligibility by delaying medical care. Even seemingly minor injuries warrant assessment—25% of accident victims with “minor discomfort” discover serious underlying injuries during medical evaluation.

Keep Medical Records and Receipts: For All Treatments

Maintain organized records of all medical visits, treatments, medications, and related expenses. Florida courts require clear documentation of expenses when awarding damages. Keep a detailed injury journal noting pain levels, limitations, and how injuries affect daily activities—this strengthens claims for pain and suffering damages when stepping outside the PIP system.

When to Consult a Car Accident Lawyer After a Car Crash?

Florida’s auto insurance laws present unique challenges for accident victims. When you hire a car accident attorney after a collision, it can dramatically affect compensation. Represented clients receive on average 3.5 times more compensation than unrepresented claimants, according to Florida Bar Association data.

If There Are Severe Injuries: For Compensation

Florida operates under a no-fault insurance system with PIP coverage typically limited to $10,000. For serious injuries, a car accident attorney can help you step outside this system to pursue full compensation.

To qualify for a claim beyond PIP in Florida, you must have suffered a “permanent injury” as defined by statute 627.737, which includes:

Significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function
Permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability
Significant and permanent scarring or disfigurement
Death

Approximately 30% of Florida car accident victims meet these threshold requirements, allowing pursuit of compensation beyond PIP limits.

Disputes Over Fault: Legal Representation

When multiple parties dispute responsibility, auto accident attorneys from The Grife Law Firm can investigate the accident, gather evidence, and build a compelling case establishing liability. Florida Department of Transportation data shows that approximately 43% of accidents involve disputed liability initially.

Insurance Claim Denial: To Appeal the Decision

Insurance companies deny approximately 25% of initial Florida car accident claims. They commonly minimize or deny legitimate claims to protect profits. At The Grife Law Firm, we understand these tactics and will fight for the compensation you deserve.

How to Deal with Emotional Trauma After a Car Crash?

Florida mental health statistics reveal that approximately 40% of car accident victims develop some form of psychological distress, with 15-20% meeting clinical criteria for PTSD. Addressing these invisible wounds supports both recovery and legal claims.

Seek Professional Counseling: Therapists or Psychologists

Post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and depression are common after serious accidents. Florida courts recognize mental health treatment costs in compensation claims when stepping outside the PIP system. Approximately 60% of accident victims who receive psychological support show improved recovery outcomes.

Join Support Groups: For Accident Survivors

Florida has over 200 support groups for accident survivors. Connecting with others who understand your experience provides emotional support during recovery.

Practice Stress-Reduction Techniques: Meditation, Yoga

Studies from Florida medical centers show that complementary therapies reduce pain perception by 25-30% in accident victims. These approaches help manage pain and emotional distress while you heal physically and pursue your legal case.

Need Legal Help? Get Your Free Consultation Today!

When serious injuries disrupt your life, Florida’s $10,000 PIP coverage is rarely sufficient. At The Grife Law Firm in Boca Raton, our car accident attorneys have extensive experience helping accident victims overcome these limitations to secure compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and future care needs.

Our experienced auto accident lawyers have a proven record of successfully securing fair compensation on behalf of our clients.

Contact us today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. Time limits apply to car accident claims in Florida—the sooner you contact The Grife Law Firm, the stronger your case will be.