The sudden impact of a car crash can deliver devastating blunt force trauma to your body. These injuries range from painful bruising to life-threatening internal damage—often with symptoms that do not appear until days later. These injuries transform your life instantly, leaving you with mounting medical bills, lost wages, and a painful recovery.
At Sigman Janssen, our knowledgeable car crash lawyers in Appleton have helped countless Wisconsin drivers secure compensation for medical expenses, lost income and other damages caused by the actions of a negligent driver.
There is no need to deal with the complex legal process on your own. We can help. Find out if you have a valid case today.
Call for a FREE case review today. (920) 335-1394
What Exactly Is Blunt Force Trauma?
Blunt force trauma occurs when your body absorbs a strong impact but there is no penetration of the skin. During a crash, this can happen when part of your body collides with an object or hard surface. The intense force of an impact transfers through your tissues, damaging your cells, blood vessels, and organs beneath the surface. This trauma can affect any part of your body, including your head and your internal organs.
The severity of these injuries ranges from minor bruising to life-threatening internal bleeding. Blunt force trauma injuries pose a serious risk to victims, because unlike cuts or lacerations, these injuries are not visible. Initially, victims may not even be aware of any pain or symptoms.
How Does Blunt Force Trauma Happen in a Car Crash?
The violent physical force of a car crash creates multiple opportunities for blunt force trauma to occur. Rapid deceleration from the impact can cause you to strike against various surfaces inside the vehicle. The human body cannot withstand these extreme forces without injury.
Here are some possible ways blunt force trauma could occur during a car crash:
- Your head strikes the steering wheel, dashboard, or window
- Your chest impacts the steering wheel or seatbelt
- Your abdomen compresses against the seatbelt during sudden stops
- Your limbs collide with door panels, the console, or other passengers
- Flying objects inside the vehicle strike your body during collision
- The force of airbag deployment causes chest or facial trauma
- Secondary collisions occur as your internal organs hit your skeleton
- Your head and neck get jolted violently forward, snapping immediately backward
What Injuries May Result From Blunt Force Trauma During an Appleton Car Crash?
There is a significant risk of sustaining blunt force trauma injuries in a collision, especially in high-speed crashes on busy roadways like College Avenue, Wisconsin Avenue, and Interstate 41. These injuries range in severity but often depend on the speed at impact and the part of the vehicle damaged.
Common blunt force trauma injuries resulting from a collision include
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)
TBIs can happen if your head strikes a solid surface, gets struck by an object, or experiences violent movement. Head injuries range from mild concussions to severe brain damage with long-term cognitive effects. Regardless of how minor they may seem, you should take a head injury seriously. TBI symptoms may not develop for hours to days after the initial impact.
Intracranial hemorrhage (brain bleeding) is an especially dangerous blunt force trauma injury to the head. Brain bleeds create pressure inside the skull that can cause permanent brain damage or death without emergency intervention.
Chest and Torso Injuries
Drivers may sustain serious torso injuries when they strike against steering wheels. The force or pressure of the impact can result in multiple rib fractures, sternum breaks, and lung contusions. The extreme force of being buckled in can sometimes cause blunt force trauma injuries known as seat belt syndrome.
Abdominal Trauma
Blunt force trauma to the abdominal area may include bruising or ruptures to the liver, spleen, and kidneys. Internal bleeding is a high risk when these injuries occur. They present no visible external signs of an injury but can quickly become life-threatening without prompt treatment.
Facial Injuries
Drivers or front-seat passengers may sustain blunt force trauma to the face when the airbag deploys or if their face hit the dashboard. Injuries, including facial fractures, dental trauma, or soft tissue damage are extremely common. These injuries may sometimes require reconstructive surgery or be severe enough to cause permanent disfigurement.
Spinal Injuries
Blunt force trauma to the spine can cause compression fractures and herniated discs. These injuries can leave victims with chronic pain, permanent mobility issues, and even partial to full paralysis in severe cases.
Extremity Injuries
Dislocated joints or severe fractures that do not pierce the skin may frequently require surgery, physical therapy, and extended time away from work.
Why Symptoms May Not Show Up for Hours to Days After Your Accident
The body releases a surge of adrenaline and endorphins during a traumatic event like a car crash. These powerful chemicals initially mask pain and injury, but only temporarily. This natural response can hide serious symptoms for hours or even days, and here’s why:
Inflammation Takes Time to Develop
Damaged tissues swell over the first 24-72 hours after a crash, increasing pressure on nerves and surrounding structures. This progressive process is why pain often worsens in the first few hours to several days after the initial injury.
Brain Injuries Evolve Gradually
Microscopic damage to brain tissue develops over time. Cognitive issues, headaches, or vision problems may not appear until days after a crash. The damage resulting from brain bleeds becomes life-threatening in a much shorter time.
Internal Bleeding Can Be Slow
Small tears in blood vessels take time to create noticeable symptoms. This gradual blood loss explains why victims sometimes collapse days after seemingly minor accidents.
Soft Tissue Damage Is Often Invisible
Damage to muscles, ligaments, and tendons becomes apparent only after inflammation sets in. What seems like minor soreness can evolve into debilitating pain.
Spinal Injuries Progress Over Time
Herniated discs may not cause nerve compression immediately. Pain, numbness, or weakness can emerge days later as inflammation increases.
Delayed symptoms increase the risk of serious medical and legal complications. This is why seeking a prompt medical evaluation after any crash is vital to your health. Emergency rooms are often the best option as they are open 24/7. These facilities also have physicians, including specialists, and diagnostic equipment onsite to quickly rule out life-threatening injuries
Why Wisconsin Insurance Companies May Push Back on Claims Involving Blunt Force Trauma Injuries
Wisconsin insurers often push back against blunt force trauma claims with specific tactics, especially if you experienced delayed symptoms and did not seek immediate medical care.
Insurers May Argue Your Injuries Happened Somewhere Else
Waiting to get a medical examination gives insurers room to argue that your injuries were not severe. They may also question the direct link between your crash and internal injuries, stating your injuries could have happened elsewhere.
Your Injury Symptoms Appeared Too Late to Be Crash-Related
Insurance companies may exploit the delayed symptoms common with blunt force trauma, arguing that your headaches, abdominal pain, or breathing difficulties emerged too late to be crash-related.
You Already Accepted an Early Settlement Offer
Insurance companies are notorious for pushing victims to take a quick settlement offer. These early settlement offers are nearly always too low because you do not yet know the full extent of your injuries or the cost of any treatment you may need. These early offers only benefit insurance companies, potentially saving them a significant amount of money.
Internal injuries often worsen over time, requiring additional treatment. Unfortunately, if you accept an early offer without first speaking with an attorney, you may be unable to recover any further compensation.
Medical Evidence to Prove Blunt Force Trauma From Your Appleton Car Crash
Linking your blunt force trauma injuries to the car crash that caused them requires specific medical documentation. Your attorney will need comprehensive evidence to counter insurance company tactics and prove your injuries were the direct result of the crash.
Getting a prompt medical evaluation at a nearby emergency room, like ThedaCare Regional Medical Center or Ascension St. Elizabeth not only protects your legal claim, but it could also save your life.
Evidence that could strengthen your claim of blunt force trauma injuries includes:
- Emergency room records documenting your condition immediately after the crash
- CT scans, MRIs, and X-rays showing internal injuries not visible during physical examination
- Detailed physician notes describing the force required to cause your specific injuries
- Medical expert testimony linking crash mechanics to your pattern of blunt trauma
- Blood test results showing internal organ damage through elevated enzyme levels
- Comparison of pre-accident and post-accident medical records
- Trauma specialist evaluations, such as from ThedaCare Regional Medical Center
- Physical therapy assessments documenting functional limitations
- Neurological testing results for traumatic brain injuries
- Photographs of visible bruising patterns consistent with crash forces
- Pain management records documenting ongoing treatment needs
- Medical bills and projected future medical expenses for your recovery
When Should You Call an Attorney After a Car Crash?
The sooner you call the better. Evidence from the crash scene is quickly cleared away, lost, destroyed or overwritten. There are deadlines for taking legal action, and it is important to remember that a compelling case takes time to build. Many people wait to call an attorney, and sometimes it can be too late for an attorney to be able to help.
Seeking legal help right away means you have someone fighting to protect your interests from day one. Since we take cases on contingency, there are no upfront costs or fees to worry about. Your initial consultation is also free, which means you have nothing to risk by calling us right away.
Need Legal Help After a Car Crash in Appleton? Call Sigman Janssen Today.
Blunt force trauma injuries require fast action to protect your legal rights. While you focus on healing, we build your case.
At Sigman Janssen, we advocate for injured victims every day, and we have a proven history of securing favorable outcomes for our clients.
Take the first step today. Call Sigman Janssen today for a FREE case review. Put our decades of Fox Valley personal injury experience to work fighting for the compensation you deserve.