Should I Go to the Hospital for Minor Injuries After A Car Accident?

Yes, a minor car accident can still cause an injury, even if it’s just a fender bender. The severity of an injury often depends on the speed at the time of the collision, the position of the occupants, the direction of impact, and whether seat belts were worn.

What is a minor injury?

A minor injury is a crash-related ailment that has a quick recovery time but may still require medical attention. 

The distinction between major and minor injuries revolves around: 

• The severity of the injury. 
• How the injury impacts your health and life. 
• The required treatment and recovery time. 

Major injuries are typically severe and potentially life-threatening, requiring immediate and often extensive medical attention. Examples include:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs): TBIs are usually caused by a violent blow or jolt to the head. This often happens when the head hits the dashboard, steering wheel, or windows. These injuries can lead to long-term complications or death. 
• Spinal cord injuries: Spinal cord injuries occur due to damage to the spine or nerves at the end of the spinal canal. Depending on the location of this injury, it can lead to paralysis, weakness, or loss of body function. 
• Internal organ damage: The blunt force trauma from a crash can result in damage to the lungs, heart, liver, spleen, or kidneys. It can also cause internal bleeding. These injuries can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. 
• Broken bones: Bone fractures are caused by high-impact collisions. They can occur in the ribs, arms, legs, hips, or face. These can range from simple fractures to compound fractures. 

These injuries often have a significant and long-lasting impact on your life. They can lead to chronic pain, long-term disability, and the need for extensive rehabilitation. The financial burden of treating major injuries is also typically much higher due to the need for surgeries, hospital stays, and ongoing medical care.

In contrast, minor injuries are generally less severe and have a shorter and more straightforward recovery process. These injuries are not life-threatening and usually don’t cause long-term health issues. The treatment for minor injuries often involves less invasive medical care, such as outpatient treatment, physical therapy, or over-the-counter pain medication.

Some of the most common minor injuries include: 

• Whiplash: This is a common neck injury caused by the rapid back-and-forth movement of the neck, similar to the cracking of a whip. It often occurs in rear-end collisions and can lead to neck pain and stiffness.
• Soft tissue damage: These injuries affect the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Common examples include sprains, and strains. 
• Bruises: Bruises can occur when a part of the body strikes an object in the car. This can be the steering wheel, dashboard, seatbelt, or other object. Bruising after a car accident can result in discomfort, pain, swelling, and limited range of motion. 
• Cuts and scrapes: Shattered glass, metal fragments, or even objects inside the car (e.g., phones or glasses) can cause cuts and scrapes during a collision.
• Minor burns: If a car accident leads to a fire or if skin comes into contact with hot surfaces or chemicals, minor burns can occur.
• Concussions: A concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury that can occur even in minor accidents, especially if the head is jolted or strikes an object such as the steering wheel or window.

If you sustained an injury in a crash, you have the right to seek compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. It doesn’t matter if your damages are only a few thousand dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars.

However, if you live in a no-fault state, you will typically get compensated through your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) policy. This allows both parties to recover damages up to the policy limit, regardless of who was at fault. However, you may need to pursue additional compensation from the other driver’s insurance company if the total damages exceed the PIP policy limit.

What if the other driver was uninsured?

If you were involved in a crash with an uninsured driver, you can still recover damages for minor injuries. Rather than seeking compensation from a 3rd party insurer, you would get compensated from your own insurance company through your uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. Depending on which state you’re in, you may already have it.

However, UM is optional in some states. That means, you’ll need to add it on to your car insurance policy to get compensated after a collision with an uninsured driver. This type of insurance also pays for damages if you’re hit by a driver who leaves the scene of the crash and is never identified.

Can I sue for a minor injury if I was partially at fault?

If you were partially at fault, you can still recover damages, depending on which state you’re in. Some states use the pure comparative negligence rule, which allows you to get compensated for your damages. However, your compensation would be reduced by your percentage of fault.

Pure comparative negligence doesn’t have a threshold that bars you from recovering damages like other types of comparative negligence. That means that you can recover 1% of your damages if you’re 99% at fault.

Other states use the modified comparative negligence rule that has a threshold of either 50% or 51%. This means that you can’t recover damages from the other driver’s insurance company if your percentage of fault exceeds that threshold. However, you can still recover damages if your fault is less than the threshold.

Minor injuries can be difficult to prove. Insurance companies often dispute them or try to offer lowball settlements that barely cover the full extent of your damages. That’s why you need the help of a strong legal advocate.

A Law.com Premier Attorney will work tirelessly to build a strong case for you. They’ll investigate your crash, get witness statements, and negotiate with insurance companies for fair compensation. Can’t afford an attorney? Our verified lawyers work on a contingency fee basis and won’t charge you any upfront fees for their services. You only pay if they win your case.

Plus, a Premier Attorney will help you explore your legal options, advise you on your rights, and answer any questions you have during a free consultation. To get started, contact a lawyer near you.