Recovery For Car Accident-Related Facial Injuries

Injuries to the face are one of the more common car accident-related injuries that people suffer. They are also one of the more traumatic injuries because our faces play such an important role in how we connect to and interact with the world. Facial injuries often leave permanent scarring and disfigurement, which can be traumatizing for accident victims who see constant reminders of their accident every time they look in the mirror.

What Causes Car Accident-Related Facial Injuries?

Car accidents are extremely violent and brutal events that involve a significant amount of force on the body and sometimes, on the face. Furthermore, these kinds of injuries could happen in just about any type of car crash, including head-on accidents, rear-end collisions, and even t-bone crashes, usually as a result of:

• Striking one’s face against the airbag;
• Striking one’s face against the dashboard if a passenger, or steering wheel if a driver;
• Being cut by shattered glass;
• Being ejected through a broken window or windshield;
• Striking the interior of the vehicle upon impact;
• Being struck by objects inside the car;
• Suffering burns from an engine fire; or
• Being struck by a foreign object that punctured a vehicle.

For many of those who sustain facial injuries in car accidents, it can be difficult to tell how serious the injury really is. Swelling, pain, and even numbness can occur, all of which can hide the extent and exact nature of a specific injury. Underneath these symptoms, however, could be a variety of injuries.

What are the Most Common Types of Facial Injuries that Car Accident Victims Sustain?

The type of blunt force trauma that accompanies car accidents can cause a wide range of serious injuries to the face, including:

• Facial fractures, like broken nasal bones, broken lower and upper jaws, and broken eye sockets;
• Deep lacerations and other open wounds, such as abrasions and skin tears that damage the nerves; and
• Facial burns, caused by engine fires or explosions.

All of these injuries are painful and often difficult to treat. Facial fractures for instance can result in a lot of swelling and pain for victims, who even after healing, could suffer from permanent disfigurement. Scarring is also a very real concern for those who sustain severe lacerations, as is permanent muscle and nerve damage. Burns are notorious for being especially painful for victims and are perhaps the most potentially disfiguring facial injury. Besides these injuries, many accident victims who suffer facial trauma also sustain traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which come with symptoms of their own, including headaches, nausea and vomiting, and memory loss. Individuals who sustain facial injuries often require cosmetic surgery to repair scarring and may also require physical therapy to regain movement and control of their facial muscles.

Free Consultations with a Maitland Car Accident Attorney

Call Goldman Law, P.A. at 407-960-1900 to speak with an experienced and compassionate Maitland car accident lawyer about your recovery options. You can also reach a member of our legal team via online message.

Sources:

hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/facial-trauma

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3256789/