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De acuerdo con la National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, chest injuries are some of the most common types of injuries that victims of car accidents sustain. Approximately 80% of all injuries sustained in automobile accidents occur to the chest or head. Chest injuries can have a serious adverse effect on a person’s health, finances, and overall quality of life. Fortunately, the law allows victims of car crashes to recover compensation for damages acquired during an accident, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
If you are dealing with the effects of a chest injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Lesiones en toda la ciudad can help you navigate the claims process, manage your finances during your recovery, and receive top-notch medical care from a médicos de accidentes automovilísticos. We also help you fight for the award you need to get your life back on track without sustaining any additional financial loss.
Common Types of Chest Injuries
Lesiones en el pecho typically fall into one of two categories: Penetrating or blunt. Penetrating chest injuries occur when an object pierces the thorax. These types of injuries can cause damage to the internal organs, such as the lungs, heart, esophagus, diaphragm, and spinal cord. Though penetrating chest injuries can result from car accidents, blunt chest injuries are much more common.
Blunt chest injuries are the result of a blow to the chest. Though blunt chest injuries do not always affect the internal organs directly, they can be just as dangerous as penetrating injuries. Blunt force chest injuries can result in trauma to the chest wall, cause internal bleeding, inhibit breathing, and interrupt the chest’s functions. Common types of blunt force chest injuries are:
- Rib cage fractures
- Sternum fractures
- Flail chest
- Collapsed lungs (pneumothorax)
Each of these injuries, as well as less serious injuries, can cause bruising, swelling, and daño a los tejidos blandos. More severe injuries can result in internal organ damage, internal bleeding, or spinal cord damage. Regardless of the nature of a chest injury, if you sustain any trauma to the chest, you must seek help from an auto injury doctor right away.
Chest Injury Symptoms
Many people who do not sustain any visible wounds mistakenly assume that they are fine. Often, this is not the case, especially when chest injuries are involved. Following a car accident, pay attention to your body, and seek emergency medical care right away if you experience any of the following:
- Throbbing chest pain
- Sharp chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Coughing up blood
- Sunken chest cavity when taking breaths
- Upper abdominal pain
In the best-case scenario, you are dealing with nothing more than minor bruising. In the worst-case scenario, the organs in your chest or upper abdomen have undergone severe trauma, and you require immediate medical intervention.
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Causes of Car Accident Chest Injuries
Several components of an automobile — even those designed to keep you safe — can cause chest injuries during impact. Common causes are as follows:
- Steering Wheels: Steering wheels in vehicles sit exactly at chest height. If a driver fails to fasten his or her seat belt properly, the blow from impact can cause him or her to be thrown forward into the steering wheel. The column of the wheel is extremely rigid and unforgiving, and impact at high speeds can cause significant damage to the chest.
- Airbags: Though designed to protect vehicle occupants in the event of an accident, airbags have been known to cause considerable harm to drivers and passengers. On one hand, they deploy with incredible force. However, some airbags are defective, and they can shoot shrapnel and other debris throughout the cabin if they deploy at all.
- Seatbelts: Though seatbelts, like airbags, are designed to keep vehicle occupants safe, they have been known to cause chest and abdominal injuries. When a car stops suddenly, the safety restraints in modern vehicles are designed to tighten to secure the passenger automatically. While this protects the passenger from getting thrown out of the car, it can result in lacerations, swelling, bruising, or fracturing to the chest.
- Shattered Glass: Glass and other debris flying around the vehicle during impact can penetrate the chest, thereby causing a penetrating chest injury. If the debris penetrates deep enough, it could cause harm to the heart, lungs, and trachea.
- Car Side Panels: In T-bone collisions, the vehicle’s side panels may close in on the left or right side. If a passenger or driver is seated on either side, the panels could cause serious injury to the chest.
The Cost of Chest Injuries
Chest injuries can have both short- and long-term financial consequences for the victim. Immediately following the accident, the victim will need to undergo a thorough medical exam and X-rays by a car injury doctor. Depending on the extent and severity of the wounds, the physician may need to perform CPR, stop internal bleeding, remove external objects, perform surgery, or resuscitate breathing. The cost of immediate medical care can be tens of thousands of dollars.
Some chest injuries result in the need for ongoing medical care and therapy. Many individuals who sustain chest injuries find that they are unable to return to work for an extended period, adding financial difficulties.
Recovering Damages Through a Car Accident Claim
At CityWide Injury, we know just how physically, emotionally, and financially devastating a car accident can be. We use our knowledge of the law, passion for justice, and an extensive network of resources to help auto accident victims get the medical care they need to make a full recovery and to recoup maximum compensation. For the support and advocacy, you deserve at this difficult time in your life, contact our law office today at 713-782-0082 o online.