Chest trauma is one of the leading causes of death in this country. The most common cause of chest trauma is car accidents. In fact, between 70 and 80 percent of all chest trauma injuries happen in motor vehicle accidents, with the victim either in the vehicle or as a pedestrian. More than 30 percent of these injuries prove to be fatal.
Injury to the ribs – including fractures – often occurs when there has been a trauma to the chest. These rib injuries in turn frequently cause injuries to the lungs. These injuries can make breathing very difficult for the victim. Some of the more common injuries include:
Punctured Lung
If a rib is broken or fractured in a car accident, it can puncture the lung. Another way car accident victims can suffer a punctured lung is if any sharp objects in the vehicle are thrown and slam into the victim’s chest. Signs of a punctured lung include shortness of breath, pain, and pressure in the area.
Collapsed Lung
Every time a person takes a breath, the muscles of the diaphragm and chest contract, and their lungs inflate, similar to a balloon. When a person exhales, the lungs deflate as those muscles relax. A collapsed lung is often caused when there has been a puncture of the lung. Symptoms of a collapsed lung include difficulty breathing, lightheadedness, and sharp pains in the chest area which spread with each inhalation.
Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
An injury to the lung can cause it to become inflamed, allowing fluid to leak into the air sacs of the lung. If this happens, the lungs can fill with fluid but cannot fill with air, causing the respiratory system to shut down. ARDS can happen within a few days after a lung injury.
Even a minor lung injury can leave a victim dealing with fatigue, shortness of breath, muscle weakness, cognizant issues, and depression, for some time. A more serious injury can leave permanent damage to the lungs. Rib fractures leave elderly victims particularly susceptible, with one study showing a five times greater risk of dying from the injury, and a four times greater risk of developing pneumonia.
Call Our Virginia Personal Injury Law Firm Today
A Virginia personal injury attorney understands that when a person is injured in an accident, it can often be a confusing and overwhelming time. Not only are you dealing with the pain and recovery of the injuries, but you also may be dealing with financial issues, worried about how you will pay the medical bills for your treatment, and the income you are losing from being unable to work.
At Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp, we have been advocating for injured clients since 1985 and will do all we can to ensure you receive the best possible outcome under the circumstances of your case, like the $50,000 settlement we were able to obtain for one client who suffered from intense, chronic shoulder and neck pain (including a reaggravation of her prior shoulder injury) caused by a crash that occurred when the other driver pulled out from a parking lot and right into our client’s vehicle.
Call our office today to schedule a free and confidential consultation.
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