Bristol Pennsylvania is a bustling town with its fair share of roads, highways, and access to interstates. As a community with roots stretching back to the 1720s, Bristol and the surrounding has more than its share of road configurations that now seem antiquated and less than ideal. This situation is made worse by the traffic created by the proliferation of retail malls, business parks, and other operations that call Bristol home. While recent construction has improved the local roads and alleviated many of these concerns, some issues still remain.
After all, it is our well-developed transportation networks that make many of the aspects of modern life we take for granted possible. Roads not only allow us to live further from where we work and to devote less time to travel, they also allow the trucks that carry goods and other freights to reach the stores where they are sold. While the vast majority of car trips are completed without incident, when incidents do occur injuries are often serious due to the high speeds involved.
What Types of Injuries Can Occur in a Car Accident in Bristol?
Injuries suffered in a car accident are dependent upon the type of crash suffered, the vehicle’s safety features and a number of other factors. Depending on the forces that come together to impact the vehicle, the driver or passengers may suffer a traumatic brain injury. Such an injury is common when the driver strikes his or her head on the steering wheel or when the passenger may hit his or her head on the dash or another hard surface. TBI injuries are particularly concerning injuries because the brain serves as the body’s control center. Damage to the brain and its structures can cause the person to suffer from a number of cognitive and other deficits. For instance, a person who suffers a TBI may find that they experience rapidly changing moods which may include increased aggression and a loss of impulse control. Others may experience trouble with understanding abstract or figurative concepts. Still others may experience reduced information processing abilities.
Unfortunately, the TBI is not the only injury that can occur in a car crash. A ruptured fuel tank or a broken fuel line may leak fuel that ignites in or following the crash. The vehicle may be engulfed in flames extremely quickly causing severe burns or death. On rare occasions, the vehicle may explode leading to the loss of a limb, damage to hearing or vision, or death. In other circumstances, a leak of one of the array of other substances and chemicals used to keep a vehicle running and functioning can result in chemical burns. Regardless of the source of the burns, burn injuries are always painful and have a long road to recovery.
Whiplash injuries are perhaps the most commonly reported complaint following a car accident. Whiplash is caused by the shearing of nerve, muscle, and connective tissue to the uneven application of force in a car accident. The effects of whiplash can range from mild nausea and disorientation to near-total incapacitation. Some people affected by whiplash can suffer from sleep disturbances, blurred vision, inability to concentrate, memory issues, and depression. Whiplash is treatable, but it can take months or years before the individual sees improvement.
Another common injury suffered in a crash are broken bones. Broken or fractured bones are extremely painful and can deprive the person of the ability to perform simple tasks of daily living. Breaks can range from a simple break to complex or compound breaks. In some instances of particularly severe trauma, the bone may even shatter. While recovery times are lengthy for all broken bone injuries, more severe injuries will take longer and more intensive therapy to recover from.
Injured in a Car Accident in Bristol, Pennsylvania?
Reckless, careless, and negligent drivers should be held financially accountable for the pain and damages their actions cause. The experienced and aggressive attorneys of The Reiff Law Firm can fight for compensation for you. To schedule a free and confidential legal consultation call us at (215) 709-6940 or contact us online today.
