According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the number of hospitalised Australians due to motor vehicle accidents increased dramatically and reached more than 60,000 cases in 2019. Thanks to technological developments, the number of fatalities has been decreasing but still unfortunately each year almost 1,500 people lose their lives.
What are the most common car accident injuries?
1. Head and neck injuries
Head and neck injuries comprise the highest percentage of car accident injuries in Australia. These injuries include:
Whiplash injury
Whiplash is one of the most common neck injuries that occur due to a strong head jolt. The seatbelt keeps the driver and passengers safe and prevents more serious damage in the case of sudden deceleration; however, when the vehicle collides, the neck is typically left unsupported, resulting in a neck muscle injury.
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injuries occur due to a violent jolt or blow of the head that damages the brain tissue. Serious car accidents may cause such injury and may leave serious impairments on the injured person’s life such as cognitive, physical, and emotional deterioration.
Head & concussion injury
Concussion and skull fractures arise due to serious car accidents that generally have a significant effect on the injured person’s life. They may cause long-term disability and the injured person may need lifetime personal care.
2. Trunk injuries
Trunk injuries cover all injuries on the chest, back abdomen, and spinal parts of the body. These injuries include:
Back injury
Back injuries include bone, joint, tissue, muscle, and nerve damage extending from the neck to pelvis. These injuries not only arise due to a car accident but also happen due to repetitive movements, wrong posture, older age etc.
Spinal cord injury
Some car accident victims suffer spinal cord injuries that damage the spine and cause mobility deterioration of the injured person. Spinal cord injuries can cause disability and low life quality.
3. Shoulder and arm injuries
The majority of shoulder and arm injuries include amputation of the limbs and fractures of the bones. Broken bones generally heal rapidly however amputation may cause permanent disability.
4. Hip and leg injuries
Leg and hip injuries are common in car and motorcycle accidents. Legs under pressure can sustain crush injury, and hip injuries can occur in a way of fracture, bursitis, and dislocation. Both injuries may limit the daily life of the injured person.
5. Wrist and hand injuries
Broken bones comprise the majority of car accident-related hand and wrist injuries. Depending on the injury type, these injuries may require surgery for an injured person to go back to their daily life.
6. Ankle and foot injuries
Even though ankle and foot injuries are not the most common injury types, they may occur in a way of strains, ligament, and tendon damages due to a motor vehicle accident impact.
What are the most common car accident injury types?
Fractures are the most common injury types in car accident injuries in Australia. Apart from fractures, superficial injuries, open wounds, brain traumas, soft-tissue injuries, internal organ injuries, dislocations and burns are the common injury types, respectively.
Car accident injuries injury demographics in Australia
- Australians between the age of 15-24 comprise 40% of the total injured people. People between 25-44 and 5-14 follow this group.
- The injury rate of kids between the age of 0 to 4 is the lowest amongst all age groups.
- 66% of the hospitalised people are males.
- People from remote areas get injured 2.5 times more than people in major cities.
What are the car accident injuries compensation entitlements in Australia?
You can reach our workers compensation/WorkCover lawyers and we can assist you regarding your claim on a No Win No Fee basis.
Weekly payment based on your pre-injury wages
Reasonable and necessary healthcare expenses due to your injuries
For injuries are greater than 14% whole person impairment
For physical injuries assessed at being greater than 10%; psychological injuries at being greater than 14% permanent impairment.
In order to receive compensation by way of a lump sum, your physical injuries need to meet at least 11% whole person impairment. The threshold is 15% if you have primary psychological injuries, you are not entitled to receive permanent impairment compensation for secondary psychological injuries.
For injuries are greater than 14% whole person impairment and resulted from the employer’s negligence.
If your injuries are assessed at 15% whole person impairment or greater and the injuries were as a result of your employers’ negligence, you may be able to make a work injury damages claim. A work injury damages claim allows for you to claim your future loss of earnings until the age of retirement by way of a lump sum payment. That means that the insurer would essentially pay an advanced amount based on your capacity to work and your pre-accident wages until the age of retirement. Sometimes it may not be the best decision to settle a work injury damages claim because your medical expenses would no longer be covered by the insurance company.
Why Withstand Lawyers for car accident compensation claims?
Our experienced Car Accident Lawyers can assist you to get maximun car accident compensation payout possible on a No Win No Fee basis. You can meet our team in Sydney, Perth, Parramatta, Penrith, Newcastle, Wollongong, and other suburbs in NSW & WA. Call us on 1800 952 898 or fill in the free claim assessment form below for further information.
