A car accident may cause a driver to sustain severe injuries. However, most human injuries in motor vehicle crashes result from the steering wheel. The force of a collision can push a driver forward into their steering wheel, with a violent collision potentially inflicting injuries to the head, brain, hands, arms, and chest.
Steering wheel injuries can result in extensive medical treatment or permanent disabilities. When this happens, an injured driver may have the right to seek compensation from the motorist who caused the crash or other parties who bear liability for their injuries.
Retaining experienced legal representation can help maximize your financial recovery for steering wheel impact injuries. Contact Kreger Brodish LLP today for an initial case evaluation with a knowledgeable North Carolina car accident lawyer to discuss your options for pursuing compensation.
What Constitutes a Steering Wheel Injury?
A steering wheel injury refers to the physical trauma that a driver suffers in a car crash when their body moves forward and hits the steering wheel during a collision. A driver can suffer injuries to their head, chest, or arms due to a collision with the steering wheel in a car accident. Some of the most common steering wheel injuries include:
- Concussions
- Contusions (brain bruise)
- Brain hemorrhage
- Traumatic brain injury
- Hematoma
- Skull fractures
- Facial injuries
- Eye trauma, including orbital bone fractures and retinal detachment
- Burns from the explosive that inflates the steering wheel airbag
- Broken ribs
- Collapsed lung
- Torn ligaments, tendons, and muscles in hands, wrists, and arms
- Broken hands, wrists, or arms
- Traumatic injury to chest or abdominal organs
- Internal bleeding
- Spinal injuries, including herniated spinal discs or spinal cord injury
Medical Consequences of Steering Wheel Injuries
Many steering wheel injuries can have severe, long-lasting medical consequences, as these injuries can affect vital organs in the head, chest, or abdomen. While minor soft tissue injuries may only need rest and pain medication, broken bones and internal organ injuries will require more intensive medical care like surgeries, hospitalization, and physical therapy. Some injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries, can leave drivers with permanent disabilities or other limitations.
Preventative Measures and Safety Recommendations
Various factors can increase a driver’s risk of experiencing a steering wheel injury in a car accident. Preventative safety measures you can take to avoid injury from an airbag in your vehicle’s steering wheel include:
- Always Wear a Seat Belt – Seat belts can prevent drivers from getting knocked forward in a collision and hitting the steering wheel, resulting in head injuries.
- Maintain the Correct Seating Position – Sitting too close to the steering wheel may mean the airbag has insufficient time to deploy to prevent the driver from striking it.
- Keep Hands in the Correct Position on the Steering Wheel – Using the correct hand positions can reduce the chances of injuries to the hands, wrists, and arms or the severity of such injuries.
- Follow the Speed Limit – Speeding increases the force of a collision, possibly resulting in a driver hitting the steering wheel harder and suffering more severe injuries.
- Avoid Brake-Checking Other Drivers – Sudden or unnecessary braking poses a risk of a rear-end collision, which can throw a driver forward into the steering wheel.
Who Is Liable for a Steering Wheel Injury After a Car Accident?
In most cases, the driver who causes a car accident will bear liability for steering wheel injuries suffered by another driver involved in the crash. Proving fault for a car accident will require various pieces of evidence to show what happened in the accident and identify the party responsible for causing it. Evidence commonly used in car accident cases includes:
- Police crash reports
- Accident scene photos and videos
- Surveillance and traffic camera footage
- Dashcam footage
- Eyewitness testimony
- Vehicle computer logs
- GPS records
- Cell phone records
- Car maintenance and repair records
- Accident reconstruction expert reports and testimony
In rare cases, your car’s manufacturer or a parts manufacturer may bear liability for your steering wheel injury if it occurred due to a design or manufacturing defect, such as an unsafe steering wheel position or an airbag that failed to deploy in the collision.
Navigating the Aftermath of an Accident
When you’ve sustained steering wheel injuries in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence or carelessness, you may have the right to recover compensation for financial and personal losses you sustain due to your injuries, including medical expenses, costs of long-term disability care, ongoing and future income losses, physical pain, emotional suffering, and reduced quality of life due to disabilities or disfigurement.
You must take steps to protect your legal rights and options to seek financial compensation for your injuries and losses. Steps to take in the aftermath of an auto accident include:
- Report the accident to the police and request a copy of the accident report.
- Seek immediate medical attention to diagnose injuries you sustained in the crash, even if you do not feel hurt.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment plan or recovery instructions. Do not put off treatment or rehab for your injuries.
- Obtain copies of your car accident injury treatment and rehabilitation medical records.
- Keep any bills, invoices, or receipts to document your medical expenses and other costs related to the accident.
- Gather your pre-accident pay stubs to calculate your lost income if you have to take time off from work during your recovery or transfer to a lower-paying position.
Finally, contact a car accident lawyer from Kreger Brodish LLP as soon as possible to discuss potential avenues for compensation and the next steps you can take to secure the financial resources you need for your recovery.
Contact Our North Carolina Car Accident Attorneys for Help
After you’ve suffered a steering wheel injury in a car crash, you need skilled legal help to recover compensation for your ongoing and future recovery expenses. Contact Kreger Brodish LLP today to arrange a free consultation with an auto accident attorney to discuss how we can help you pursue financial recovery for your medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering with a personal injury claim.
