Internal injuries from a car crash are extremely dangerous. Immediate treatment is essential, as these injuries can have fatal consequences if they are allowed to worsen.
Sigman Janssen discusses how car crashes can cause internal bleeding or internal organ damage, why these types of injuries are so dangerous, and common symptoms.
If you suffered an internal injury in a Wisconsin car crash, we may be able to help you seek compensation for the full value of your damages. There are no upfront costs with our services, and no fees while working on your case.
Call today to schedule a free legal consultation: (877) 888-5201.
Why Internal Injuries Can Be So Dangerous
The problem with internal injuries is you cannot see them. Additionally, they might not cause symptoms right away. It might take a few hours or a couple of days. That means you could have an internal injury without even knowing about it.
Unfortunately, by the time a doctor diagnoses an internal injury, it may have been festering for days. It can be harder to treat injuries that have been allowed to worsen. Internal injuries also have the potential to cause life-threatening infections. If one of your vital organs was damaged in the crash, your life could be at risk.
Crash victims with internal injuries often have significant medical costs and other damages. Our Green Bay car accident lawyers are prepared to help you seek compensation.
How Trauma From a Car Crash Can Cause Internal Damage
There are three main ways a car crash can cause an internal injury:
Trauma From Deceleration
Crash victims are often most concerned about whether any parts of their bodies got hit during the collision. However, getting thrown forward and stopped by your seat belt and/or an airbag can be quite traumatic. Your organs can get jostled around and suffer significant damage.
Penetrating Injuries
If a foreign object, such as a shard of glass or crash debris pierces your abdomen, you could suffer internal organ damage.
Blunt Force Trauma
Your seat belt could cause blunt force trauma to your midsection. Crash victims who get thrown from their vehicles could also suffer blunt force trauma.
Common Internal Injuries From Car Accidents
These are some examples of internal injuries you might suffer in a crash:
Liver Injury
This is one of the most common internal organ injuries from a car accident. If your liver bursts and empties its contents into your abdomen, your life could be in jeopardy.
Kidney Damage
Besides the liver, your kidneys are at high risk of suffering damage in an auto accident. Your kidneys are more likely to be damaged if you suffer blunt force trauma to your lower back. Kidney damage could be permanent, and victims may need dialysis or a transplant.
Ruptured Abdominal Aorta
Your abdominal aorta carries blood away from your heart. It could get ruptured if your stomach gets compressed during the crash. A ruptured abdominal aorta is often fatal.
Collapsed Lung (Pneumothorax)
This is often a side effect of a broken rib, as the broken bone could pierce your lungs. If this happens, air could fill your chest cavity, which could be fatal without immediate treatment. That is why doctors need to evaluate patients with broken ribs for a collapsed lung.
Fractured or Bruised Ribs
Blunt force trauma to your chest could bruise or break your ribs, which can be incredibly painful. Even breathing can be painful.
Ruptured Spleen
The danger of a ruptured spleen is that your abdomen could fill with blood, which could be fatal. If this happens, doctors may need to remove your spleen, making it harder for your body to fight off infection.
Traumatic Brain Injury
Many people do not think about brain injuries when they think of internal injuries. However, your brain is an internal organ and there is a risk of suffering a brain injury in a crash. Your head could get hit or thrown around hard enough to cause brain damage. There is also a risk of an open head injury, where an object pierces your skull.
Internal Injury Symptoms to Watch For
Anyone who was involved in a serious car accident should keep an eye out for symptoms of an internal injury, which may include:
- Pain in your chest or abdomen
- Blood in your urine
- Blood in your stool
- Bruising and discoloration of your abdomen
- Feeling weak, lightheaded or lethargic
- Increased heart rate
- Feeling dizzy or nauseous
- Feeling cold
- Nausea or vomiting
- Feeling unusually thirsty, which may be a sign of internal bleeding
- Low blood pressure
- Fainting
- Symptoms of shock that may indicate internal bleeding (extreme anxiety, urinating less frequently than before, enlarged pupils, clammy skin, etc.)
- Swelling in the abdomen
Treating Internal Injuries
Serious internal injuries, such as internal bleeding or organ damage, typically require surgery. In some cases, victims may need an organ transplant to save their life.
Post-operative care is often very important after an internal injury, as doctors need to make sure your injuries are healing properly. They also need to watch for potential complications. Doctors often advise people with internal injuries to take it easy for several days or weeks to help ensure they heal properly.
There are times when internal bleeding may heal on its own. However, this is something that should be determined by qualified medical professionals.
Brain injuries, particularly open head injuries, may require physical, occupational and/or speech therapy, as victims may have significant brain damage.
Seeking Compensation For an Internal Injury
Car crash victims who suffered internal injuries often have significant medical expenses. They may need multiple surgical procedures to fix the damage they suffered, which can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. However, the value of each case is based on numerous factors that must be evaluated on their own.
You may miss significant time from work because of an extended hospital stay or because your doctor advised you to take it easy at home.
Some victims suffer a loss of earning capacity because they cannot work in the same job they did before. Victims may also suffer significant pain and suffering.
If the crash was caused by another driver’s negligence, their insurance company may be liable for the injuries and damages you suffered. However, it is up to you to prove liability and the value of your damages. The insurance company is going to fight hard to avoid accountability, which is why you should seriously consider hiring an experienced lawyer.
Call Sigman Janssen For Post-Crash Legal Assistance
Car crash victims often have many questions about filing insurance claims or lawsuits. It is often difficult for them to find the answers they are looking for on their own. That is where an experienced lawyer comes in.
The attorneys at Sigman Janssen have been helping vehicle accident victims for many years. Our lawyers have secured millions on their behalf. We have extensive knowledge of the legal process, and we know how to build robust cases as we seek full compensation for our clients.
Our lawyers work on contingency, which means no upfront fee and no legal obligation after your initial consultation. There is no risk in giving us a call.
Sigman Janssen. Experienced Lawyers. No Upfront Costs. Call (877) 888-5201.