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Why Do California Car Accidents So Often Lead to Jaw Injuries?

When the average person thinks about the most common injuries to come out of a car accident, they might not think of a jaw injury. However, these injuries are actually very common. Read on to learn why this is, and if you have suffered an injury in an accident, contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.

Understanding Jaw Injuries

Why do jaw injuries occur? Because there is a joint, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), that connects the jaw and the skull. Head injuries are all too common in car accidents, and they can lead to injury to the TMJ. These disorders can be extremely painful, even debilitating, and can even require surgery.

Rear-End Accidents Are the Most Common Accidents to Lead to TMJ Disorders

While any accident could cause TMJ disorders, rear-end accidents are much more likely to do so. This is because they cause a force that results in a person’s neck snapping back and forth very fast, which strains the neck muscles and ligaments and can even tear them. This is known as whiplash.

The same force that causes whiplash can cause a TMJ disorder when it applies extra pressure to the joint. Likewise, TMJ disorders can result from a victim hitting their jaw on the steering wheel, dashboard, or airbag.

Common Symptoms of TMJ Disorders

Because people do not always associate jaw injuries with the car accident they were just involved in, they do not always realize that a TMJ disorder that appears in the days or hours after the accident is related to the accident.

Some of the common symptoms include not being able to open the mouth widely without pain, pain when eating and chewing, and the jaw locking up completely. The pain can be only in the jaw, or it can extend to their neck, face, and shoulders. They could even have a swollen side of their face.

Long-Term Consequences of TMJ Disorders

If a person does not receive effective treatment shortly after their injury, they could end up with chronic earaches, headaches that will not go away, and even hearing loss. For these reasons, it is important to talk to your doctor if you have suffered from jaw pain after your accident.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney for Help with Your Case

Have you been injured in a car accident? Have you suffered pain in your jaw? Then contact Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation. We are here to provide you with the legal services required to help get you the results you need.