Car Accident Injuries: Diagnosis, Documentation and Claims
From whiplash to spinal cord injury—what each injury involves and how insurers evaluate it.
The injury determines the claim far more than the vehicle damage does. These pages describe what each injury is in plain terms, how it is diagnosed and treated, why insurers dispute it, and what documentation supports a claim. Medical descriptions are general educational information drawn from public health sources, not advice about your situation.
Common injuries
Whiplash and Neck InjuriesThe most common car accident injury, and the most frequently disputed.Back InjuriesLumbar and thoracic injuries that range from strains to disc herniations and vertebral fractures.Herniated DiscsDisc injuries in the neck or lower back that can press on nerves and require injections or surgery.Concussions (Mild Traumatic Brain Injury)The most common brain injury in crashes. Usually temporary, sometimes not, and often under-documented.Fractures and Broken BonesObjective, imageable injuries that range from a simple wrist fracture to a shattered pelvis.Shoulder and Knee InjuriesJoint injuries from bracing, seat-belt loading and dashboard contact. Often diagnosed weeks later.Soft Tissue InjuriesSprains, strains and contusions. Real injuries that insurers treat with skepticism.
Serious and catastrophic injuries
Traumatic Brain InjuriesFrom concussion to severe injury. Often invisible on scans, life-altering in effect.Spinal Cord InjuriesInjuries causing partial or complete loss of movement and sensation. Among the most costly of all injuries.Catastrophic InjuriesInjuries that permanently change a person’s ability to work and live independently.Wrongful Death After a Fatal Car AccidentWhen a crash takes a life, California law gives specific family members a claim.