Three million people are injured each year in motor vehicle accidents. Although these injuries may range from very minor to quite serious, there are several types of injuries that are most commonly seen among crash victims. The five most common types of auto accident injuries are the following:

• Soft tissue damage: Soft tissue injuries are the most common injury for people who have been in a car accident. These injuries mean the body’s muscles, ligaments and tendons were damaged when they stretched as a result of sudden movement or whiplash. This damage may result in pain in your head, neck and back.
• Skin scrapes and cuts: Items such as cell phones, glasses, a GPS device or a handbag can be projected across your car during a collision, and may cause cuts and scrapes on your skin. These injuries may also result if your airbag deploys. If a cut is deep enough, you may need stitches or other medical care to help heal the wound.
• Head injuries: When a crash takes place, your head may move sharply and collide with a window, steering wheel or other object in your car, resulting in a bruise or cut. If the impact was severe, it may cause damage inside the skull such as a concussion or, in more serious cases, brain damage.
• Chest injuries: Mild chest injuries such as bruises may result from a collision. If an accident is severe, chest injuries can include broken ribs and internal damages caused by the impact of a body hitting the steering wheel.
• Arm and leg injuries: When a car crashes, your body’s extremities may move sharply into the vehicle’s door, dashboard or — in the case of a backseat passenger — the seats in front of you. These movements might cause damage to joints or breaks in arms and legs.

Injuries stemming from car accidents can be severe and have been known to start showing symptoms in the weeks or months after a crash occurs. If you are dealing with these issues, speak with a skilled Atlanta auto accident attorney at McMenamy Law LLC.