Car accidents in Illinois happen fast. You may be driving on your usual route to work or the gym when suddenly someone makes a critical mistake causing you to crash. One minute your life is humming along as normal, and the next you find yourself shaken and in severe pain.

A car accident in East St. Louis can have serious consequences. Here are some of the most common injuries that happen as a result of these collisions:

  • Head trauma. When your body is thrown forward, it is common that you will hit your head on the steering wheel, window, dash, or another part of the car. Although airbags try to stop this, the impact of hitting your head on an airbag can still cause trauma. Head injuries are difficult to diagnose right away and present themselves in a unique manner over time, with symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, and lost memory.
  • Knee injuries. When a car is rear-ended, the driver tends to be jolted forward. This can cause her and her passengers to hit their knees hard on the steering wheel or dash in front of them. As a result, their knees can break or be seriously injured.
  • Ankle injuries. Another common injury from an Illinois motor vehicle accident is a hurt ankle. Ankles are usually hurt when there is a front impact that pushes on the ankle. They can also be hurt by the stress and pressure from the driver trying to brake just prior to the crash. When the impact occurs, the ankle may be stressed and can break or be injured more easily.
  • Spinal cord injuries. The spinal cord is a delicate bone structure in the body. When impact occurs, regardless of direction, the body is tossed and thrown in unnatural positions. This can lead to serious damage of the spinal cord, including herniated discs, nerve damage, paralysis, or death.
  • Neck injuries. Your neck is filled with soft tissues and delicate bone structures. It is not well protected against serious trauma. When the impact hits during a car accident, your neck may be forced in unnatural directions causing serious injury to this fragile part of the body. The result can be whiplash, sprain, or herniated disc.

If you received any of these—or any other serious injuries—in the course of your Illinois car accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a East St. Louis car accident lawyer for help fighting back against these serious injuries, and get the money you need to get healthy without having to pay for someone else’s mistakes. Call us today at 618-623-4297 or 866-647-5286 to schedule your free consultation.

Steve Giacoletto
Collinsville Personal Injury Attorney