Common Internal Injuries That Occur in Accidents

Internal injuries are an unfortunately common outcome in serious car accidents. Unfortunately, many of them are undetectable at the crash site. Some may leave you with minor aches and pains for hours or days, before suddenly leaving you in mind-blowing pain. Many of these injuries can become fatal if not treated promptly, which is one reason that you should always seek medical attention after a collision.

If you’ve been hurt because of someone else’s careless or reckless driving, you may be entitled to compensation. Learn more now by calling Nowell Law Firm at 864-707-1785.

Organ Damage

Any of your organs can suffer serious damage or injuries after a car crash. The more serious the car accident, the greater risk your organs are at for rupture or other damage. Liver damage is a relatively common outcome in major crashes. When the liver is torn open, or the force of the crash causes blunt trauma to the organ, internal bleeding and death can follow. Kidney damage is another possible outcome. Serious damage to the kidneys can leave a victim requiring dialysis or a transplant.

You should also watch out for damage to the stomach during a car crash. An abdominal aorta aneurysm may occur when the stomach is crushed during a crash. Unfortunately, this is often a fatal injury.

Broken Ribs and Other Fractures

Broken ribs are an extremely painful injury that can occur in a car accident. While some breaks are serious enough to require surgical intervention for healing, most broken ribs simply need time and rest to heal. Unfortunately, the healing process is very painful and long. The other risk of a broken rib is the fact that a broken rib can slide out of place and puncture the lung and result in a pneumothorax. When this happens, air enters the chest cavity. This condition can be fatal.

Internal Bleeding

Internal bleeding is one of the most serious injuries to arise after a car accident. It is also one that is often not immediately visible. Trauma to the blood vessels can prevent the vessels from clotting blood or repairing themselves. Blood enters the cavities of the body and builds up. This type of injury is fatal if not treated promptly. Symptoms of internal bleeding include a cold feeling, abdominal pain and tenderness, feeling faint, nausea, fatigue, and extreme thirst. You can also watch for deep purple bruising on the abdomen.

Brain Bleeds

Damage to the brain is one of the worst outcomes of a car accident, since the healing process and prognosis varies so much from victim to victim. While some victims may heal fully from a traumatic brain injury with no lingering effects, others may be left with side effects for the rest of their lives. A brain bleed prevents oxygen from reaching various parts of the brain. The resulting brain damage can often be permanent.

The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury are often confused with the typical bewilderment that occurs after a car accident, so they may be ignored until they worsen. Side effects of a traumatic brain injury include confusion, fatigue, difficulty remembering things, random or inappropriate changes in mood and behavior, or unexpected emotional outbursts.

Ruptured Spleen

A crash with a severe impact can rupture the spleen. This results in internal bleeding, which is fatal if it isn’t treated swiftly. When the spleen ruptures, the victim generally needs surgery to remove or repair the spleen, depending on the level of damage.

Clearly, a car crash can leave victims with painful and expensive injuries. Since so many of these can’t be detected by sight alone, it is imperative that you seek medical care after a car accident. Many victims put off this step, fearful of the cost or time involved in seeing a doctor. However, avoiding medical care could put you at risk of permanent disability or death.

Choose Nowell Law Firm After Your Car Accident

If your car accident was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for your losses. It all starts with an experienced and trusted personal injury attorney, like those at the Nowell Law Firm. To learn more about your options, set up a consultation by contacting us online or calling us at 864-707-1785.