Millions of Americans each year suffer from car accident injuries. If you’ve been in a car accident, you understand the stress that comes with dealing with a car accident, no matter how seemingly minor. Whether or not you think you have sustained any injuries from your car accident, it is a smart idea to be checked out by a doctor and to seek out chiropractic care at Affordable Chiropractic in Killeen to make sure you don’t suffer any lasting pain. You may end up walking away with no lasting issues and only a few bruises, but some accidents end up needing long-term chiropractic treatment.
Different types of accidents result in different types of injuries and, therefore, different measures of chiropractic care. At Affordable Chiropractic in Killeen, we’ve seen just about every type of car accident and car accident injury over the last 25 years we’ve been serving the community. To get a feel for what happens in an accident and how this could impact you, we’ve put together a list of the ten most common types of car accidents.
1. Rear-End
“Tailgating,” or following too closely behind another car, is one of the most common types of car accidents we see. A rear-end accident results from the driver of one car running into the back of the car in front of them. Typically when this type of accident occurs, we see injuries specific to the chest, spine, neck, and head. Whiplash is a big contributor to the injuries sustained during these accidents. Whiplash is the motion that occurs when your head is forced forward, then jolts backward suddenly.
2.Low-Speed Accidents
Low-speed accidents can happen in places like parking lots or along quieter streets. Just because a car is traveling at a low speed doesn’t mean it can’t sustain or produce significant damage. Often in low-speed accidents, drivers experience whiplash or broken bones. Worse, if a pedestrian is involved, which is often the case with low-speed accidents, injuries can be just as serious as in another type of accident. Neck and back injuries, as well as head injuries, are common in low-speed accidents.
3.Hit and Run
Hit and run accidents occur when one party hits another party’s car with theirs and leaves the scene of the accident. Hit and runs can be sideswipe accidents, T-Bones, rear-ends, or some other type of accident. Because this type of accident could involve many factors, the damage sustained to both car and person can vary greatly.
4.Single-Car Accident
Just because you’ve been in a single-car accident doesn’t mean it was necessarily your fault or that you did something wrong. Often in single-car accidents, a driver is swerving to avoid hitting another car or something on the road. In these cases, drivers often collide with guardrails, trees, light poles, etc. These types of collisions can often result in whiplash, neck and back injuries, concussions, broken bones, or damage from seat belts or airbags.
5.Side-Impact Accident
Side-impact collisions involve one driver’s front end broadsiding another driver’s side. Usually, these types of accidents occur at intersections. These types of collisions can cause the hit vehicle to spin, sometimes resulting in that car hitting additional cars, curbs, or debris. Injuries resulting from side-impact accidents include whiplash, broken bones, neck and back injuries, and concussions.
6.Sideswipe Accident
Accidents involving one car’s side hitting another car’s side often occur on the highway, when cars may be trying to merge or change lanes. These types of accidents typically cause minor injuries like whiplash.
7.Multiple Vehicle Accident
Multiple vehicle accidents are a nightmare for everyone involved. These can result from any given situation- a series of cars rear-ending one another or a chain reaction set off by someone sideswiping another. Because these types of accidents can vary so much, and cars can be hit from multiple angles, injuries can be severe and many. Broken bones, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, and internal bleeding could occur as a result of a multiple-vehicle accident.
8.T-Bone Accident
T-Bone accidents have the potential to be devastating. These occur when a vehicle drives head-on into the side of another vehicle. These accidents have a high chance of producing serious damage to cars and people, even at lower speeds. T-bone accidents can be deadly, but often people who are hit end up with injuries to their chest, head, legs, and stomach.
9.Vehicle Roll Over
Several types of accidents could cause a car to roll over, but when this happens, a car is flipped onto its side and may tumble many times or get flipped onto the roof of the car. These can be extremely dangerous, as there are multiple opportunities for passengers to be injured. Head injuries, neck and back injuries, broken bones, and internal injuries are common in these types of accidents.
10.Head-On Accident
A head-on collision occurs when two drivers collide, both with the fronts of their cars. This can be a severe accident, as there’s a change both cars are accelerating towards each other when they hit. The range of injuries can be minor, from whiplash to broken bones, to more severe like traumatic brain injuries, internal bleeding, or even death.
Car Accident Care
No matter what type of car accident you’re in, there’s a chance you could sustain minor to severe injuries. Without proper diagnosis and treatment, even minor injuries can persist and cause pain and discomfort long-term.
How soon should you see a chiropractor after an accident? It’s important that after you are assessed for any immediate and life-threatening injuries by an emergency room doctor, you come to car accident chiropractors at Affordable Chiropractic in Killeen to be assessed for any issues that could lead to long-term misalignment or continued pain. Often pain and suffering associated with car accidents don’t show up until days, weeks, or even months after an accident.
Our friendly and expert staff have 25 years of caring for the Bell County community, and we’re well-versed when it comes to types of car accidents and what kinds of injuries our community members can incur. Come see us for a consultation, and let us help you heal from your car accident.