Internal Injuries From Car Accidents
Car accidents often cause visible injuries like cuts, bruises, and broken bones. However, some of the most serious and life-threatening injuries are those that are not immediately apparent—internal injuries.
If you have suffered an internal injury from a car accident in Texas, knowing your legal rights and options is essential to protect your health and financial future. Contact our firm today.
What Are Internal Injuries?
Internal injuries refer to damage to organs, blood vessels, or internal tissues that occur beneath the skin. Because of their hidden nature, they can be difficult to detect without a medical evaluation. Common types of internal injuries in car accidents include:
- Internal Bleeding: Damage to blood vessels can lead to life-threatening blood loss inside the body.
- Organ Damage: The liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, and intestines are especially vulnerable to blunt force trauma.
- Rib Fractures: Broken ribs can puncture internal organs or blood vessels, worsening the injury.
- Pneumothorax (Collapsed Lung): A severe blow to the chest can cause air to escape from the lungs into the chest cavity.
- Abdominal Injuries: Trauma to the abdomen can damage the digestive tract or reproductive organs.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): Though technically part of the central nervous system, closed head injuries often involve internal bleeding within the skull.
How Internal Injuries Occur in Car Accidents
Car accidents create intense physical forces, especially in high-speed collisions. Internal injuries often occur due to:
- Seatbelt Impact: While seatbelts save lives, they can cause blunt force trauma to the chest and abdomen.
- Airbag Deployment: Airbags deploy with force, potentially causing trauma to the face or chest.
- Being Thrown Against the Interior: Sudden deceleration can slam the body into the steering wheel, dashboard, or windows.
- Rollovers or Side-Impact Collisions: These crashes frequently result in forceful pressure on the body that can compress or crush internal organs.
You may not experience immediate symptoms, and they can worsen over time. Watch for warning signs such as dizziness or fainting, abdominal pain or swelling, shortness of breath, bruising around the abdomen or chest, blood in urine or stool, and confusion or loss of consciousness.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
Suffering from internal injuries after a car accident can leave you with physical pain, emotional distress, and mounting medical bills. A qualified Waco injury lawyer can help you recover the compensation you need by:
- Investigating the Crash: Gathering evidence, reviewing police reports, and working with accident reconstruction experts to prove fault.
- Documenting Your Injuries: Collecting medical records and expert opinions to establish the extent and long-term impact of your internal injuries.
- Negotiating with Insurance Companies: Insurance companies may downplay internal injuries or delay payments. An experienced lawyer can push back and fight for full compensation.
Internal injuries from car accidents can be devastating and are often more dangerous than they first appear. If you or a loved one has suffered internal injuries in a Waco car accident, contact an experienced car accident attorney in Waco to discuss your case and protect your rights.
We offer free consultations, call (254) 212-4107 or message us online today.