The roads in Chicago are notoriously difficult to travel safely. Between the aggressive driving of many motorists, severe weather issues and large volumes of commercial traffic passing through the region, there are countless opportunities for severe motor vehicle collisions.
Many of the worst crashes prove fatal. These collisions cause such severe injuries that the affected people cannot recover from them. Other times, people develop catastrophic injuries that may have a lasting, negative impact on their health, quality of life and financial circumstances. There are three types of severe injuries that have a particularly strong association with major motor vehicle collisions.
Traumatic brain injuries
It is very easy for people to hurt their brains during car crashes. Crashes create a risk of blunt-force trauma, and the violent way that vehicles move during collisions can also hurt someone’s brain. A traumatic brain injury (TBI) could leave someone dependent on medical equipment for the rest of their life, force them to change careers and cause a host of different symptoms.
Traumatic and surgical amputations
Sometimes, crashes are so extreme that they cause traumatic amputations. The force of impact leads to the immediate removal of an extremity or limb. People who experience traumatic amputations are at high risk of blood loss, infection and death. Many others may require surgical amputation after a crash because of the extent of the damage to a body part. Crushing injuries, in particular, might lead to doctors reaching the conclusion that removing the injured body part presents the best option for the most complete recovery possible.
Spinal cord injuries
People can hurt their backs or spinal cords during collisions. Injuries can occur anywhere from the base of the neck to the top of the hips. They could be complete or incomplete injuries, and the care someone requires, as well as their prognosis, depends on the location and severity of their injury. Someone with a spinal cord injury likely faces lifelong medical expenses and may also have to cope with a long-term reduction in their earning potential. Those with catastrophic injuries after car crashes may find that the baseline insurance required in Illinois is insufficient to cover their expenses.
A personal injury lawsuit might be the only way for someone to recover the losses inspired by a severe collision. As such, making use of the right to take legal action can benefit those negatively impacted by a collision caused by another driver.