What to do after a car accident Part 1
Auto accidents can really ruin your day. Not only are car accidents frightening, they can be enormously stressful. Immediately after the accident you must make sure you and your passenger(s) are all ok. If you or your passenger have any clear fluid coming from the nose or ears, this is a sign of a possible brain injury and emergency care is essential. Have some one call 911 or an ambulance.
One of the first things you must do is notify your insurance company. If you have no insurance, you may still be able to get treatment for your injuries if the accident was not your fault. Make sure you get the police officers full name, badge number and phone number if possible. You may need to talk to the officer at a later date.
The physics involved in an auto accident must be considered when evaluating the impact of the accident on the human body. The force of a moving motor vehicle is extreme. Being struck by a vehicle moving at just 10 miles an hour can be equivalent to catching a 40 pound bag of cement from a second story window! The spine is protected by muscle ,tendons and ligaments, which can be damaged with even minor collisions. Whiplash is a common result of such impacts. The neck has five muscle layers, and these muscle fibers generally run from the back of the skull to the top of the shoulders. These muscle fibers can be easily stretched or torn when the force of an impact goes into the body. Imagine strands of spaghetti being pulled at either end. The spaghetti would tear at some point. The same happens with muscle fibers in the cervical area. After these muscles are stretched and torn, if left untreated scar tissue formation may occur, which restricts the patients range of motion. It is easy to find someone who has had such a problem. Symptoms ranging from headaches to hand pain can be traced back to an accident as a teenager.
(To be continued)