The Most Common Eye, Mouth, and Facial Injuries From Car Accidents
Car accidents can cause devastating injuries to the eyes, mouth, and face. Many of these carry long-term effects that impact a person’s quality of life, ability to work, and self-confidence. If you’ve been injured in a car accident, you may have the right to compensation for these injuries. The attorneys at Lattof & Lattof, P.C. have over 100 years of experience fighting for injury victims just like you.
We offer a free consultation, so give us a call today at (251) 432-6691 to schedule a free consultation.
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Types of Injuries
Because the head can strike the windshield or steering wheel, it is one of the more common areas of the body to suffer injuries after a car accident. This can happen in a T-bone accident, head-on collision, or rear-end crash. The impact and force of a car accident can create numerous types of injuries, including the following:
Broken Bones
The face has 14 bones, each one of which is at risk of fractures or shattering as a result of a car accident. Fractures can cause significant pain, bleeding, trouble breathing, and the inability to open or close the jaw. They can also create long-term dental problems and facial contouring concerns. Some injuries require surgery to properly heal and reconstruction procedures afterward.
Lacerations
Deep lacerations can impact the tissues of the face as well as the eyes. These cuts are likely to bleed but may also have debris embedded deep within them. Many times, they result in significant scars. Facial wounds like this don’t always heal well, and infection is a concern. Revisions to initial surgical procedures may be necessary to improve appearance or encourage better healing.
Burns
Like lacerations, burns can impact any area of the soft tissues of the face, including the eyes. Intense heat, such as from burning chemicals and fuel, can lead to significant skin damage. Burns can also occur in the mouth, leading to oral tissue and throat problems. Burns often create scars that can be very difficult to heal when they are significant. Infection is a big risk, too.
Eye Injuries
Eye injuries can be some of the most worrisome after a car accident. Even minor injuries can cause a loss of vision, which impacts a person’s ability to work or learn. Short- and long-term vision problems are not uncommon.
Flying debris from the accident, including flying glass, is one of the most common causes of eye injuries. This can cut the eye itself, cause retinal detachment, limit the blood supply to the eye, and damage the optic nerve. Perhaps most problematic is the limited range of treatment options for many of these eye injuries.
Oral Injuries
The impact of a car accident can dislodge the jaw or any of the teeth. It can also cause lacerations on the tongue and gums. Tooth loss is common in some cases, often requiring extensive reconstruction procedures, oral surgery, dental implants, bridges, or dentures.
For some people, dental injuries are particularly worrisome because they can impact chewing, talking, and even taste. Some damage may be just cosmetic but still can impact self-esteem and quality of life.
How to Get Recovery for Injuries
Facial injuries like these are complex cases. Most often, the initial step requires allowing the body to heal after a car accident. Yet, after the healing happens, many people need reconstructive procedures months later to improve the aesthetics from burns, lacerations, and other scars. Dental work can take months to be complete. Other injuries, especially eye-related injuries, can cause long-term damage or permanent limitations on a person’s ability to see and perform tasks as they once did. All of this plays a role in the value of a car accident claim.
The attorney’s job will include learning as much as possible about your injury. This includes the short- and long-term rehab necessary, potential complications in the months to come, and any limitations it will create. All of this plays a role in the compensation you can recover in your car accident claim.
As a result, it is critical to hire a personal injury attorney if you’ve had any type of eye, mouth, or facial injury. Doing so helps ensure you receive the compensation owed to you for current medical bills and losses, but also for the long-term recovery you may face. Contact our personal injury attorney at Lattof & Lattof, PC. Schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.
