According to reports from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it is estimated that upwards of three million people experience personal injury each year due to automobile accidents. And while not all injuries are severe, or even life threatening, the fact remains that auto accidents continue to be a common cause of significant, lasting personal injury in the United States.

In any accident case, there are a number of factors that are considered when evaluating the cause or extent of an injury, and car accidents are no exception. These types of situations may involve varying degrees of personal injury, depending on:

• Whether or not the individual was wearing a seat belt
• Where the car was hit – front, side, rear
• Whether or not the occupant was facing ahead or had their head/body turned
• The speed of the vehicles at the time of the collision
• Whether or not the vehicle’s airbags were operational or deployed

Typically, injuries in car accidents are classified in one of two ways – penetrating injuries, or impact injuries. While impact injuries involve colliding with the interior of the vehicle, penetrating injuries refer to cuts, scrapes or other abrasions due to shattering glass or other flying objects.

Though impact injuries may not be as obvious, they may prove to be far more severe. In cases involving head, spinal, or soft-tissue injuries, symptoms are not always immediately onset in the wake of an accident. Only a qualified medical professional can diagnose a case of personal injury, and recommend a course for rehabilitation or recovery.