The most common car accident injuries in Clark County are whiplash and neck strain, soft-tissue sprains and strains, and broken bones. Many crashes also cause head injuries, back and spinal trauma, or knee and leg damage. Some conditions, including concussions or internal bleeding, may not appear immediately, making prompt medical evaluation and proper documentation essential.
Car accidents in Clark County often result in injuries that can disrupt your ability to work, care for your family, or simply enjoy daily activities. Collisions on roads like I 15, US 95, and the Las Vegas Beltway can produce sudden impacts that leave victims with pain, limited mobility, and mounting medical bills. Many people underestimate how serious these injuries can be until days after the crash when symptoms like stiffness, swelling, or headaches become more pronounced. Without prompt care and documentation, you risk weakening your claim.
The most common car accident injuries include whiplash, soft tissue strains, fractured bones, head and brain injuries, back and spinal trauma, and knee or leg damage. Some injuries, such as concussions or internal bleeding, may not be immediately apparent yet still require extensive treatment. Insurance companies often challenge the severity or legitimacy of these injuries to reduce settlement offers. If fault is disputed or documentation is incomplete, you may be pressured into accepting far less compensation than you deserve.
In this article, you will discover the most common car accident injuries in Clark County and how a car accident attorney in Clark County can help you protect your rights and pursue full and fair compensation.
What are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries in Clark County?
We’ve compiled a list of the most common car accident injuries throughout Clark County based on a recent annual case study of the claims our attorneys have handled in 2025.
The injuries below range from conditions that heal in weeks to those requiring lifelong medical care. Understanding these common injuries helps you recognize when you need medical attention and protects your legal rights if someone else caused your accident.
Here are the most common car accident injuries in Clark County:
Whiplash and Neck Injuries
Whiplash is a neck injury that happens when your head snaps back and forth during a crash. This violent motion stretches and tears the muscles, tendons, and ligaments in your neck.
You might not feel pain immediately after the accident because adrenaline masks the symptoms. Within 24 to 48 hours, you may experience neck pain, stiffness, headaches, and difficulty moving your head.
Rear-end collisions cause most whiplash injuries, but any type of crash can damage your neck, which is why many victims contact a Clark County car accident lawyer for assistance. The injury can take weeks or months to heal completely.
Traumatic Brain Injuries and Concussions
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when your brain hits the inside of your skull during impact. This disrupts normal brain function and can cause temporary or permanent damage.
A concussion is the mildest form of TBI, but it’s still serious and requires medical attention. More severe brain injuries can cause lasting cognitive problems, personality changes, and physical disabilities.
Watch for these warning signs after any head impact:
- Persistent headaches: Pain that doesn’t go away or gets worse over time
- Confusion or memory loss: Trouble remembering the accident or recent events
- Dizziness or balance problems: Feeling unsteady on your feet
- Mood changes: Unusual irritability, anxiety, or depression
- Nausea or vomiting: Feeling sick to your stomach repeatedly
Back and Spine Injuries
The force from a car accident can fracture the bones in your spine or damage the discs that cushion your vertebrae. A herniated disc happens when the soft center of a spinal disc pushes through its outer layer.
These injuries often cause severe pain that radiates down your arms or legs. You might also experience numbness, tingling, or weakness in your limbs.
Spinal injuries can affect your ability to work, exercise, and perform daily activities. Some require surgery and months of physical therapy to heal properly.
See also: Paralysis
Fractures and Broken Bones
The tremendous force of a collision can easily break bones throughout your body. The most commonly fractured bones in car accidents include ribs, arms, legs, collarbones, and facial bones.
A simple fracture is a clean break where the bone doesn’t pierce the skin. A compound fracture means the broken bone has punctured through the skin, creating a higher risk of infection.
Some fractures heal within weeks with proper care, while complex breaks may require surgery and months of recovery time.
Internal Injuries and Bleeding
Internal injuries happen when blunt force trauma damages your organs or blood vessels inside your body. These injuries are particularly dangerous because you can’t see them from the outside.
Your seatbelt can cause internal injuries even while saving your life by preventing you from being thrown from the vehicle. The force of the belt against your chest and abdomen can bruise or damage internal organs.
Internal bleeding is a medical emergency that requires immediate treatment. Without prompt care, you could go into shock or die from blood loss.
Soft Tissue Injuries and Bruising
Soft tissue injuries affect your muscles, ligaments, and tendons. While these might seem minor compared to broken bones, they can cause chronic pain and limit your mobility if not treated properly.
Deep bruising can damage muscle tissue and cause lasting problems. Torn ligaments and tendons may require physical therapy or surgery to heal correctly.
These injuries often worsen over the first few days after an accident, so don’t assume you’re fine just because the pain seems manageable initially.
Facial Injuries and Scars
Contact with airbags, steering wheels, dashboards, or broken glass can cause serious facial injuries. These include broken facial bones, deep cuts, dental damage, and eye injuries.
Facial injuries often result in permanent scarring that can affect your appearance and self-confidence. Some victims require multiple plastic surgeries to repair the damage.
Even minor facial cuts can leave noticeable scars if not treated properly by a medical professional.
Burns
Vehicle fires, hot engine fluids, or contact with heated metal can cause painful burn injuries. Burns are classified by their severity from first-degree to third-degree.
First-degree burns affect only the top layer of skin and usually heal within a week. Third-degree burns destroy all layers of skin and underlying tissue, often requiring skin grafts and leaving permanent scars.
Chemical burns can also occur if battery acid or other automotive fluids contact your skin during a crash.
Related: What is a Sixth-Degree Burn?
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis
Spinal cord injuries are among the most devastating consequences of car accidents. Damage to your spinal cord can result in partial or complete paralysis below the injury site.
Paraplegia affects the lower half of your body, while quadriplegia affects both your arms and legs. These injuries typically require lifelong medical care and assistance with daily activities.
Even incomplete spinal cord injuries can cause significant weakness, numbness, and mobility problems that dramatically change your quality of life.
Extremity Injuries to Knees, Shoulders, Hands, and Feet
When you brace for impact, your hands, arms, and feet absorb tremendous force. This commonly results in broken bones, torn ligaments, and dislocated joints in your extremities.
Your knees are particularly vulnerable to striking the dashboard in a frontal collision. This can cause a fractured kneecap, torn ligaments, or damage to the cartilage inside the joint.
Shoulder injuries often occur when your body is thrown sideways during a side-impact crash or rollover accident.
Post-Traumatic Stress and Emotional Distress
Car accidents don’t just cause physical injuries—they can also create lasting emotional trauma. Many accident victims develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, or depression.
You might experience flashbacks of the crash, nightmares, or an intense fear of driving. Some people develop panic attacks or avoid traveling in vehicles altogether.
These psychological injuries are just as real as physical ones and often require professional counseling or therapy to overcome.
What Is the Most Common Injury in Clark County
Whiplash and other soft tissue injuries occur most frequently in Clark County car accidents. However, head and brain injuries cause the most serious long-term consequences and highest medical costs.
The severity of your injuries depends on several factors including the speed of the vehicles, the type of collision, and whether you were wearing a seatbelt. Even low-speed crashes can cause significant injuries.
| Injury Type | How Often It Happens | How Severe | Typical Recovery Time |
| Whiplash | Most Common | Mild to Moderate | 2-12 weeks |
| Concussion | Common | Moderate to Severe | Weeks to months |
| Broken Bones | Common | Moderate | 6-12 weeks |
| Internal Injuries | Less Common | Severe | Varies greatly |
Symptoms That Need Immediate Medical Care
Some symptoms after a car accident signal a medical emergency that requires immediate attention. Don’t wait to see if these symptoms improve on their own, call 911 right away.
Delaying treatment for serious injuries can lead to permanent damage or death. When in doubt, it’s always better to seek medical care than to risk your health.
Severe Headache or Confusion After a Crash
A severe headache that gets worse over time, especially when combined with confusion or memory problems, can indicate bleeding or swelling in your brain. This is a life-threatening emergency.
Other warning signs include repeated vomiting, seizures, or loss of consciousness. Don’t drive yourself to the hospital, call 911 for immediate transport.
Chest Pain, Shortness of Breath or Fainting
Difficulty breathing, chest pain, or feeling faint can signal internal injuries to your heart, lungs, or major blood vessels. A collapsed lung is common in high-impact crashes and requires emergency treatment.
These symptoms can also indicate internal bleeding in your chest cavity. Without prompt medical intervention, you could go into shock or suffer cardiac arrest.
Severe Abdominal Pain or Vomiting
Sharp or persistent pain in your abdomen, especially with swelling or repeated vomiting, often means internal bleeding or organ damage. Your spleen, liver, or kidneys may have been injured in the crash.
Internal abdominal injuries can be fatal if not treated quickly. The symptoms may not appear immediately, so any abdominal pain after an accident should be evaluated by a doctor.
Numbness, Weakness or Loss of Balance
If you feel numbness, tingling, weakness in your limbs, or can’t maintain your balance, you may have suffered a spinal cord or nerve injury. Don’t try to move or walk if you experience these symptoms.
These signs can indicate damage to your spine that could become worse if you move incorrectly. Wait for paramedics to immobilize your spine before transport to the hospital.
What to Do After a Car Accident in Clark County
Taking the right steps immediately after an accident protects your health and strengthens your legal case. Follow these steps even if you think your injuries are minor.
Proper documentation and medical care create a clear record that insurance companies and courts will respect. Failing to take these steps can hurt your ability to recover compensation later.
Call 911 and Seek Medical Evaluation
Nevada law requires you to report any accident involving injuries, property damage over $750, or death. Your first call should always be to 911, even for seemingly minor crashes.
Adrenaline released during a crash may dull pain signals, causing injuries to seem minor at first. Always accept evaluation by paramedics, even if you feel fine at the scene.
Emergency responders can also secure the accident scene and direct traffic around your vehicles to prevent additional crashes.
Report the Crash and Document Evidence
A police report creates an official record of the accident that insurance companies and courts rely on. While waiting for officers to arrive, document everything you can if you’re physically able.
Take these important steps to preserve evidence:
- Photograph all vehicle damage: Capture multiple angles of each car involved
- Document your visible injuries: Take pictures of cuts, bruises, or swelling
- Get witness information: Collect names and phone numbers of people who saw the crash
- Record the scene: Photo the road conditions, traffic signals, and street signs
- Exchange driver information: Get insurance details and contact info from other drivers
Avoid Recorded Statements and Admissions
Never admit fault at the accident scene, even if you think you might have contributed to the crash. Fault determination is complex and should be left to investigators and insurance adjusters.
Avoid saying things like “I’m sorry” or “I didn’t see you” as these statements can be used against you later. Be polite and cooperative, but stick to basic facts about what happened.
Don’t give recorded statements to any insurance company without speaking to an attorney first. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that can minimize your claim.
Contact a Local Injury Lawyer Early
The sooner you contact an experienced car accident attorney, the better we can protect your rights and preserve crucial evidence. We’re available 24/7 to provide immediate guidance after your accident.
An attorney can handle communications with insurance companies, gather additional evidence, and ensure you don’t miss important legal deadlines. Most importantly, we make sure you don’t settle for less than your case is worth.
How Nevada Law Affects Your Injury Claim
Nevada’s specific laws directly impact how much compensation you can receive and how long you have to file a claim. Understanding these rules helps you make informed decisions about your case.
Insurance companies count on accident victims not knowing their rights under Nevada law. Working with a Clark County personal injury lawyer ensures you get the full protection the law provides.
Nevada Comparative Negligence
Nevada follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means you can still recover damages even if you were partially at fault for the accident. However, you cannot recover anything if you’re found to be 51% or more at fault.
Your compensation gets reduced by your percentage of fault, which can significantly impact your injury settlement. For example, if you’re 20% at fault for a $100,000 claim, you would receive $80,000.
This rule makes it crucial to have an attorney who can minimize your assigned fault and maximize the other party’s responsibility for the crash.
Statute of Limitations for Injury Claims
In Nevada, you have exactly two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. This deadline is absolute, if you miss it, you lose your right to compensation forever.
The clock starts ticking on the day of your accident, not when you discover your injuries or finish your medical treatment. Don’t wait until the last minute to take legal action.
Some exceptions can extend this deadline, but they’re rare and difficult to prove. It’s always safer to contact an attorney as soon as possible after your accident.
Insurance Minimums and UM/UIM Coverage
Nevada requires all drivers to carry minimum liability insurance of $25,000 per person for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $20,000 for property damage. These amounts are often inadequate for serious injuries.
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage protects you when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough to cover your damages. This coverage is optional but highly recommended.
Many drivers in Nevada carry only the minimum required insurance, leaving you vulnerable if they cause a serious accident. UM/UIM coverage fills this gap and ensures you can recover fair compensation.
Find Out How Much Your Car Accident Injury Case Is Worth
Every accident is unique, and the value of your case depends on many factors including the severity of your injuries, how they affect your daily life, and the amount of available insurance coverage.
We have helped clients throughout Nevada obtain compensation for their injuries, as shown in our case results. As former insurance defense attorneys, we know exactly how insurance companies evaluate claims and what tactics they use to minimize payouts.
Our experience on both sides of these cases gives us a unique advantage in fighting for maximum compensation. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we win your case.
We’re available 24/7 to discuss your case and provide honest answers about what your claim might be worth. Contact Ladah Injury & Car Accident Lawyers Las Vegas today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Soon Should I See a Doctor After a Crash?
You should see a doctor on the same day as your accident, even if you don’t feel injured. Many injuries don’t show symptoms immediately, and prompt medical care creates important documentation linking your injuries to the crash.
What Symptoms Mean I Should Go to the ER Immediately?
Go to the emergency room right away if you experience severe headache, confusion, chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, or numbness in your limbs. These symptoms can indicate life-threatening injuries that need immediate treatment.
Can I Recover Compensation if I’m Partially at Fault in Nevada?
Yes, you can still recover compensation in Nevada as long as you’re found to be less than 51% at fault for the accident. Your final settlement will be reduced by your percentage of fault, but you won’t lose everything.
Will a Pre-existing Condition Prevent Me from Getting Compensation?
No, having a pre-existing medical condition doesn’t prevent you from recovering compensation. You’re entitled to damages if the accident made your condition worse or caused new symptoms related to your existing condition.
What’s the Deadline to File a Claim in Nevada?
You have two years from the date of your accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Nevada. Missing this deadline means you lose your right to compensation forever, so it’s important to contact an attorney well before this time expires.
Should I Give a Recorded Statement to Insurance Companies?
We strongly recommend against giving recorded statements to any insurance company without first consulting an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions designed to minimize your claim or get you to admit fault.
Who Pays My Medical Bills Before My Case Settles?
Your health insurance or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage from your auto policy typically covers initial medical expenses. These payments can be reimbursed from your final settlement, and we help coordinate this process.
Do I Need a Nevada Attorney if I Live Out of State?
Yes, if your accident happened in Clark County, you need a Nevada attorney familiar with local laws and courts. The case will be governed by Nevada law regardless of where you live, and local knowledge is crucial for success.
