Internal Injuries in Car Accidents

Car accident victims often suffer from injuries that are not immediately apparent. It is pretty simple to tell if you have a broken arm or significant lacerations. It is much harder to know if you are suffering from internal injuries such as internal bleeding or organ damage. 

This is why scheduling a medical exam after a car accident is essential. Your doctor can identify potential internal car accident injuries that you cannot. 

Types of Internal Injuries Caused by Car Accidents

An injured person in a car accident does not always experience obvious symptoms. However, if internal damage is left untreated, it could lead to serious complications in the future. Here are some of the most common internal injuries suffered in car accidents. 

Internal Bleeding

Internal bleeding occurs when blood is leaking somewhere inside your body. The causes of internal bleeding include damage to your organs and ruptured blood vessels inside your body. While internal bleeding may not produce immediate symptoms, there are some indicators that this could be what you are facing. 

Abdominal pain, dizziness, and weakness are often the first symptoms of internal bleeding, so seek immediate medical attention if you experience these side effects shortly after an auto accident. 

Organ Damage

Your internal organs can also be affected due to blunt-force trauma after an auto accident. Usually, the spleen, liver, and kidneys are the first to suffer damage since they have the least protection. Vital organs, like your heart, have more protection around them. 

Signs of organ damage are unique to each organ. Spleen damage may manifest as pain in the upper left side of your abdomen or lightheadedness. Liver issues can cause abdominal pain, bruising, and shock systems. Liver damage can lead to pain below the ribcage, urine issues, and nausea. Symptoms of organ failure are often delayed. 

Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

Perhaps the most dangerous internal injury you may experience is a traumatic brain injury. These injuries are caused by blunt-force trauma to the head. It can cause concussions, contusions, or even a diffuse axonal injury. Brain injuries are dangerous because the brain is the central processor for your body’s entire nervous system, and any excessive damage can yield life-altering changes. Blunt trauma to the head could cause mild headaches, but it could also lead to a coma in severe circumstances. 

Internal Fractures

Broken bones can also happen in places where it isn’t immediately obvious. For example, you could suffer from broken ribs, a broken pelvis, or even a fractured spinal cord. Signs of broken bones include persistent pain, difficulty breathing, and even numbness in specific areas.

Other Internal Injuries

There are several other common internal injuries that you should be examined for by a medical professional after an auto accident. A collapsed lung, also known as pneumothorax, would be life-threatening. A diaphragmatic rupture may cause chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, and reduced breathing sounds. 

An abdominal aorta aneurysm occurs when the main artery from the heart to the lower body swells in the abdomen. If it ruptures, it will become a severe problem. 

Risk Factors for Car Accident Internal Injuries

What affects the risk level of the most common internal injuries? These car accident factors may impact the severity of your internal bleeding, fracture, organ damage, or other internal injury. 

Type of Collision

Head-on car accidents pose a high risk of internal injuries due to sudden deceleration and force, often leading to abdominal trauma, internal bleeding, and organ damage. Side-impact auto-accidents, or T-bones, frequently result in life-threatening complications to the chest and abdomen, such as rib fractures, lung injuries, and organ damage. 

Rollover accidents increase the likelihood of internal bleeding due to multiple points of impact and potential ejection from the vehicle, commonly causing traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, and damage to internal organs. Each collision type presents specific risks influenced by vehicle speed, seatbelt use, and occupant position.

Seatbelt Use

Misusing a seatbelt is a simple way to get hurt in a car crash. If the belt is not positioned correctly across your chest and hips, you could sustain internal injuries at a higher rate. 

One specific concern is “seatbelt syndrome,” which refers to injuries directly caused by the seatbelt during a collision. These can include abdominal injuries, such as intestinal tears and damage to internal organs, as well as spinal fractures due to the force exerted by the seatbelt on the body during a crash. 

Speed of Impact

The faster vehicles are traveling, the more dangerous car accidents can be. You are much more likely to experience spinal cord injuries or internal bleeding in a highway accident than in a collision on city roads. 

Airbag Deployment

Airbags are designed to prevent more severe and permanent injuries in a car accident. However, when an airbag is deployed, it can cause minor damage to the person. 

Age and Health

Some groups are more likely to sustain injuries from car accidents than others. Children, seniors, and those with pre-existing medical conditions face a higher risk of devastating consequences after motor vehicle accidents. 

Diagnosing Internal Injuries

Diagnosing common internal injuries as early as possible is critical for a treatment plan. The longer you wait before seeing a doctor, the more dangerous the internal injury becomes. 

If you are involved in a car accident, call your doctor immediately to schedule an examination. This examination should include imaging tests to examine the inside of your body, blood tests, and monitoring vital signs. These practices will lead to a more accurate diagnosis of injuries from car accidents. 

Treatment Options for Internal Injuries

When you seek immediate medical attention after a motor vehicle crash, you can work through a treatment plan to address the symptoms of internal injuries. If the exam results are dire, you may need to visit an emergency room. Medication may be enough to manage pain and help heal minor injuries. 

In more severe circumstances, your injury may require surgery. Then, you must follow a rehabilitation plan to prevent further complications and ensure complete healing before resuming daily activities.

Legal Implications of Internal Injuries

Although internal injuries may not be immediately apparent, they can eventually lead to significant challenges. Medical treatment can be costly, and recovery might require taking time off work, resulting in reduced income. Filing a car accident claim against the at-fault party in the accident may be the only way to cover your financial losses and non-economic damages. 

Seeking Compensation for Damages

Whether you experienced spinal cord injuries, organ damage, internal bleeding, or soft tissue damage, you can pursue compensatory damages if someone else’s negligence caused the collision. 

Some damages that can be included in a personal injury case are medical expenses, the cost of future medical treatment, lost wages, physical pain, emotional distress, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of companionship if a family member dies in the auto accident.  

Proving Liability and Negligence

If you were in an auto accident caused by someone else’s actions, you must prove it with evidence to earn compensation for damages. Evidence supporting your claim includes police reports, records of medical attention, eyewitness statements, expert testimony, footage or images of the accident scene, medical costs, exam results, and paystubs. 

To improve your chances of winning the case, consulting with a car accident attorney is the best way to level the playing field against the defendant, their insurance company, and other lawyers. With the right attorney on your side, you can build a strong case and protect your rights under state laws.  

Preventing Internal Injuries

The consequences of internal bleeding, organ damage, fractures, and other injuries from car accidents are severe. You should take every precaution to protect yourself from any serious injury in case of car crashes. Make sure you wear seatbelts correctly at all times. If children are in the car, car seats must be secured correctly. Learn defensive driving tactics to anticipate danger and follow traffic laws to avoid accidents. Keep up with your car’s maintenance schedule, especially concerning safety features. 

By taking these precautionary steps, you can protect yourself from severe complications from injuries. 

Protecting Your Rights with Legal Representation

If you have gotten hurt in a car accident, filing your claim as soon as possible will improve your chances of winning compensation. Mitch Grissim & Associates is a team of personal injury lawyers ready to guide you through the claims process. Starting with a free consultation, we will ensure you have the best chance of recovering all damages during your claim. An attorney from our team will investigate your case, gather evidence, negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement, and even represent you in a trial if the case proceeds that far. 

Contact us today for your free consultation at 615-255-9999 or through the online form to discuss your case.