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Home > A-Z Health Topics > Illnesses and Disabilities > Types of illnesses and disabilities > Accident (unintentional injury)

Accident (unintentional injury)

• More information on accident (unintentional injury)

Accidents, also called unintentional injuries, account for 1 in every 4 people treated in an emergency department. Disability can result from many types of accidents, including motor vehicle accidents, drug overdoses, falls, or fires. Some disabling conditions that can result from accidents include:

• Amputation
• Burn injury
• Dementia
• Epilepsy
• Hearing loss
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Spinal cord injury
• Traumatic brain injury
• Vision loss

The chance of recovery depends on the type and severity of the injury. In many cases the accidental injury could have been prevented.

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More information on accident (unintentional injury)

Explore other publications and websites

• Injury Prevention and Control — This website links to fact sheets, publications, prevention information, and statistics about unintentional injury. Topics include motor vehicle-related injuries and fire safety.
  http://www.cdc.gov/injury/index.html
• Injury-Related Websites — This website provides information, resources, and organizations for those who have experienced a major injury. It also gives statistics on injury-related issues, tips on safety at home and on the road, and information about violence prevention.
  http://www.cdc.gov/injury/
• Motor Vehicle Safety — This fact sheet provides a statistical look at the problem of drunk driving and drug-impaired driving. It highlights specific groups more likely to drive impaired and suggests ways to prevent death and injury.
  http://www.cdc.gov/Motorvehiclesafety/index.html
• SOPHE Unintentional Injury and Violence Prevention (Copyright © Society for Public Health Education) — This website is designed to strengthen the connection between behavioral science and health education with more comprehensive approaches to unintentional injury and violence prevention.
  http://www.sophe.org/ui/index.html

Connect with other organizations

• Children's Safety Network
  http://www.childrenssafetynetwork.org/
• National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, CDC
  http://www.cdc.gov/injury/
• National Fire Protection Association
  http://www.nfpa.org/index.asp?cookie%5Ftest=1
• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT
  http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/
• Prevention Institute
  http://www.preventioninstitute.org/home.html
• Safe Kids Worldwide
  http://www.safekids.org/
• ThinkFirst Foundation
  http://www.thinkfirst.org/
• U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
  http://www.cpsc.gov/

Content last updated September 22, 2009.

Resources last updated September 22, 2009.

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