Wearing a claw clip in your hair might seem harmless, but it canactually pose a serious safety threat: causing devastating head injuries in an automobile accident. Crash victims have suffered serious injuries from these hair accessories becoming embedded in their skulls due to the forces of a collision, as well as back and neck injuries from the incorrect positioning of their heads. If you were injured in an accident, make sure to speak with an experienced car accident lawyer in San Antonio, and if you like wearing claw clips, be sure to remove them on drives.
How Can Claw Clips Cause Injuries in Car Accidents?
The headrest of a motor vehicle is designed to keep a victim’s head and neck securely in place in the event of a car crash. That way, if a car accident forces a victim’s head back, it will be protected by the soft cushion. If an individual is wearing a claw clip – a clip that grips the hair with plastic or metal prongs on both sides – this can interfere with the functionality of the headrest.
The position of the clip at the back of the head can create a gap between the head and the headrest, reducing its effectiveness in preventing head and brain injuries in a collision. The other potential danger is the possibility of the claws of the clip lacerating or digging into the scalp from the force of the crash bringing the head against the clip at high velocity.
Types of Injuries Caused by Claw Clips in Automobile Accidents
Claw clips can cause severe injuries. The incorrect positioning of the head, neck and spine in an accident due to a claw clip can increase the risk of harm to these areas, such as whiplash and slipped disks. In addition, the rapid motion of the head can ram the clip into the scalp or break the clip, creating sharp edges that can worsen the damage.
Types of injuries that may be caused by a claw clip in a motor vehicle accident include:
- Head and skull injuries
- Facial injuries
- Cuts and scrapes
- Deep or severe lacerations
- Soft-tissue damage
- The clip getting embedded in the head
- Concussions and other brain injuries
- Whiplash from incorrect neck positioning
- Back and spinal cord injuries (especially to the cervical spine)
Claw clip injuries have required the surgical removal of the hair accessory from victims’ scalps, as well as staples or stitches. These injuries can be painful, expensive and leave permanent scars. A victim can also suffer related health complications, such as infections, permanent nerve damage, or lasting neck or back injuries.
How to Prevent Claw Clip Crash Injuries
You may not be able to predict a car accident, but you can prepare for one. Prevent the possibility of sustaining claw clip injuries in a motor vehicle crash by opting for safer alternatives while driving or riding as a vehicle passenger. Soft hair accessories, such as hair ties and scrunchies, do not pose the same risks as hard plastic or metal claw clips. Headbands are also a good alternative for keeping your hair away from your face without posing an increased risk of injury.
Can You Recover Financial Compensation for Injuries Caused By a Claw Clip in a Car Accident?
In Texas, an individual who is at fault for causing an automobile accident is responsible for paying for a victim’s medical bills and property damage through his or her automobile insurance policy. This can include any injuries caused by the victim wearing a claw hair clip. If you suffer this type of injury in an automobile accident, you may be entitled to compensation for your related pain and suffering, medical bills, scarring, lost wages, and more.
Discuss a specific car accident case with a knowledgeable San Antonio personal injury attorney today at Hill Law Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers. Contact us for a free case review.