The most common face injuries from car accident cases are lacerations, deep cuts, facial fractures, dental injuries, burns, abrasions, and soft tissue damage.
Unfortunately, car crashes often leave victims with painful injuries that end up impacting victims’ lives for years to come. That’s why it’s important to contact a Boston car accident lawyer as soon as possible.
With an attorney by your side, you’ll have someone advocating for your right to heal physically, emotionally, and financially. In the meantime, let’s take a closer look at the most common facial injuries from car accidents.
Types of Facial Injuries in Car Accidents
Facial injuries in car accidents range from minor bruises to intense trauma that requires immediate medical intervention. The face is particularly vulnerable due to its exposure during a crash.
Unfortunately, even the safety features meant to protect you—such as airbags—could further contribute to and worsen your injuries. Depending on the severity of the collision, these injuries will likely lead to long-term complications, including car crash scars, nerve damage, or surgery.
Here are some examples of facial injuries victims commonly sustain in car accidents.
Lacerations and Deep Cuts
Broken glass, deployed airbags, and sharp metal from the collision often cause deep cuts or lacerations. While some cuts heal with stitches, more serious outcomes often lead to permanent car accident scars, nerve damage, or infections.
Fractured Facial Bones
Victims of car accidents face injuries known as facial fractures. These are common as a result of the force of impact that people involved in collisions often experience. These are a few types of fractured facial bones that many victims often endure:
- Nasal fractures: A broken nose will likely cause breathing difficulties and require reconstructive surgery.
- Orbital fractures: Damage to the bones surrounding the eye often leads to vision problems or requires surgical repair.
- Jaw fractures: A broken jaw will likely affect speech and chewing—as well as overall facial functionality—often requiring surgery followed by a long recovery period.
Dental Injuries
Car accidents often result in chipped, broken, and completely knocked-out teeth. Dental trauma often requires expensive treatments, namely implants, crowns, or reconstructive procedures.
Burns and Abrasions
Friction from airbags, seat belts, or hot surfaces causes facial burns or abrasions. Severe burns often lead to permanent scarring and require extensive medical treatment, including skin grafts.
Soft Tissue Damage
Facial muscles, tendons, and nerves often sustain serious damage in an accident. Soft tissue injuries will likely result in limited facial movement, numbness, and chronic pain.
Causes of Facial Injuries in Car Accidents
Facial injuries in car accidents often occur as a result of the immense force that takes place during these collisions. Your face is particularly vulnerable because it is often exposed to impact from multiple sources from inside the vehicle.
Even safety devices designed to protect occupants of vehicles often sometimes contribute to injuries. Factors such as the speed of the crash, the position of the passengers, and the use of seat belts or airbags all play a role in the severity of facial trauma.
Here are common causes of facial injuries in car crashes:
- Airbag deployment
- Shattered glass
- Steering wheel impact
- Impact of dashboard
- Flying debris
Treatment Options for Facial Injuries
The treatment of facial injuries will depend on the severity and type of trauma that you sustained in the collision. Some injuries heal with minimal medical intervention. Meanwhile, others could require extensive surgery and long-term rehabilitation.
Prompt and proper treatment are crucial measures that must be taken to prevent complications such as infection, scarring, or loss of function. Here are common treatment plans for people suffering from facial injuries:
- Emergency medical care
- Surgery and reconstructive procedures
- Dental and jaw repairs
- Physical therapy
- Psychological and emotional support
Compensation Victims of Facial Injuries Could Recover
If you suffered facial injuries in a car accident caused by someone else’s negligence, you will likely be entitled to compensation for the following:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and scarring
Massachusetts follows a modified no-fault insurance system, meaning that your Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage will pay for initial medical expenses and lost wages, regardless of who’s at fault.
However, if your injuries exceed a certain dollar amount in medical costs or if the crash caused you to endure permanent disfigurement, you will likely be able to file a claim against the at-fault driver.
Four Factors of Proving Liability in a Facial Injury Claim
To recover compensation beyond PIP benefits, your personal injury attorney in Boston will need to prove liability. Here are the four factors involved in the process of proving liability in a facial injury claim:
- Establishing a duty of care
- Proving there was a breach of duty
- Showcasing how the breach directly caused your injuries
- Identifying the extent of the injuries the breach caused
Reach Out to Discuss the Most Common Face Injuries From Car Accidents with Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Boston
Trying to figure out what to do after sustaining facial injuries in a collision? Better Phone Stone®. At Jason Stone Injury Lawyers, we take care of our own because Massachusetts is our home.
When you reach out to our personal injury attorneys, you’ll have the ability to schedule a free consultation, and there’s no obligation—just information®. That’s part of our Stone Cold Guarantee®.
Over the past 21 years, we’ve taken on over 15,000 cases and helped our clients recover more than $225 million. Let us help you recover compensation for your injuries and move forward with your life.
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