Internal Injuries in Car Accidents | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

One of the most common – and dangerous – types of car accident injuries involve damage to internal organs. Unlike many other kinds of crash injuries, which are obvious at the time of the accident, internal injuries often go undetected for hours – sometimes days – after the incident.

Victims can suffer internal injuries from several different ways, such as release of the air bag, force of impact from vehicles hitting each other, and from the jarring motion when that impact happens. A vehicle occupant can even sustain an injury from the seatbelt they are wearing, although it should be noted that the risks from not wearing a seatbelt far outweigh the risk of being injured from wearing one.

Types of Car Crash Internal Injuries

If you are in a car accident, even if you don’t think you have any injuries, you should seek medical attention right away. Many internal injuries do not present symptoms right away. Victims go about their daily life, unaware of the dangerous situation that is going on. Far too often, by the time an accident victim or their family realizes that something is wrong, the situation has become dire.

Some of the most common internal injuries suffered in a vehicle accident include:

  • Broken ribs: Not only are broken ribs uncomfortable and painful, they may also cause damage to internal organs, like the kidneys or lungs. There can even be damage to blood vessels.
  • Ruptured spleen: The spleen is located just under the rib cage and is one of the more common injuries in car crashes. Ruptures spleens can result in massive internal bleeding and must repaired right away. If left untreated, the victim can die.
  • Collapsed lung: During a crash, air often enters the area between the lung and the chest wall. This can cause the lung to collapse.
  • Organ injuries: Any trauma to any of the organs needs to be treated immediately. This trauma can cause the organ to stop working, leading to internal bleeding and/or death.
  • Internal bleeding: In addition to damage to the organs or the spleen, other injuries can cause bleeding internally to begin. A victim can be bleeding in the brain, abdomen, or even the eye area and not be aware because it is all taking place internally. Left untreated, this bleeding and the injury causing the bleeding, can be fatal.

Financial Restitution You Can Pursue for Internal Injuries Suffered in a Virginia Auto Accident

The following are forms of financial restitution you may be able to pursue for internal injuries suffered in a Virginia car wreck:

  • Medical Expenses: Current and future medical bills. For example, doctor appointments, surgeries, hospitalizations, physical therapy, prescription medications, home modifications for disability, and more.
  • Lost Income: Reimbursement for the income you lost due to the accident and any wages you will lose in the future.
  • Diminished Earning Capacity: If your injuries leave you unable to do your job at the same level you did before the accident.
  • Property Damage: Money for the repairs or replacement of your vehicle if it is a total loss and any other items damaged in the crash. For example, your phone, laptop, car seat, etc.
  • Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the pain and suffering you have endured due to the accident and your injuries. The more severe your injuries, the higher the amount of pain and suffering damages you are likely to receive.
  • Emotional Distress: If you suffered any psychological conditions due to the car accident (e.g., anxiety, depression, insomnia, PTSD, etc.).

Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in a vehicle crash, contact an experienced car accident injury attorney to discuss what legal options you may have against the party or parties responsible for the crash. You may be entitled to both economic and noneconomic damages for your injuries. Our injury lawyers have successfully represented many injured clients in obtaining the financial compensation they deserved.

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