If you’ve been involved in a car accident in Las Vegas, you may have sustained painful injuries. Some injuries, such as bone fractures and lacerations, are more obvious. Some types of injuries may be unnoticed in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
If you suffered internal injuries or internal bleeding due to a car accident, your injuries may not be immediately apparent. Internal bleeding, for example, can be hard to recognize until you start exhibiting symptoms of shock. For this reason, you should always seek a prompt medical evaluation, even if you feel fine after a car accident. A trained physician will be able to diagnose any internal injuries you might have sustained and provide treatment. Left untreated, internal injuries can lead to serious complications.
If another driver’s carelessness caused you to suffer internal injuries, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses. The insurance claims process can be challenging to navigate. You stand a better chance of securing a fair settlement if you hire a knowledgeable Las Vegas personal injury attorney to advocate for you.
The Las Vegas car accident lawyers at Sam & Ash Injury Law have the knowledge and resources to ensure you get the proper treatment you need. Our attorneys can handle every aspect of your case and negotiate with the at-fault driver’s insurance company so that you can focus on recovering your health. We have extensive experience representing injured clients and will not hesitate to take your case to court if necessary.
Contact a Las Vegas auto accident attorney at Sam & Ash Injury Law today for a free consultation.
The Dangers of Internal Injuries
Because internal injuries may not be apparent initially, people injured in car crashes sometimes don’t receive the treatment they need right away. People with internal injuries that involve heavy bleeding may go into shock if the bleeding isn’t stopped. Left untreated, shock can cause life-threatening complications.
Even if you don’t believe you are seriously hurt, it’s always a good idea to get tests or scans done right after an accident to ensure you didn’t sustain any injuries that are invisible to the naked eye.
Causes of Internal Injuries in Car Crashes
Even when two vehicles collide at low speeds, the force of impact can cause harm. When a collision occurs, your body absorbs the impact of the collision. This force can lead to internal trauma, organ damage, and internal bleeding. Airbags, which are designed to protect car accident victims from the force of a collision, can contribute to injuries due to the force with which they deploy.
Vehicle occupants who are not wearing seat belts also may sustain internal injuries from being thrown against the steering wheel or dashboard.
Three primary types of trauma cause most internal injuries:
- Blunt force trauma – Blunt force trauma occurs when the body slams into a surface or an object, including the steering wheel, dashboard, windshield, or roadway if you are thrown from the vehicle. Blunt force trauma can cause bone fractures and damage to blood vessels and internal organs.
- Penetrating trauma – Penetrating trauma occurs when an object punctures the body upon impact, resulting in internal bleeding and organ damage. If you have a laceration or puncture wound, the wound could go deeper, and be more serious, than you realize. It’s always advisable to have a doctor examine the injury and ensure that no vital organs were pierced.
- Deceleration trauma – Deceleration trauma occurs when certain body parts come to a halt during a collision while others maintain their forward momentum. Deceleration trauma can occur even if your body never strikes an object or surface. For example, brain injuries caused by deceleration trauma usually happen when the brain is rocked back and forth inside the skull upon impact.
The majority of motor vehicle accidents result from a driver’s negligence or disregard for safety, such as speeding, drunk driving, fatigued driving, or failure to obey traffic laws. If another driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you may have a legal right to hold the at-fault driver accountable by filing an injury claim against their liability insurance or a personal injury lawsuit, if necessary.
Internal Injury Symptoms To Look for After a Car Accident
Symptoms of internal injuries don’t always appear right away. In the hours after a car accident, you should pay attention to the following symptoms that may indicate internal trauma:
- Pain in the vicinity of an internal injury.
- Bruising that indicates bleeding beneath the surface.
- Nausea that might be accompanied by dizziness and vomiting.
- Rapid heartbeat, fatigue, weakness, and light-headedness are all signs of shock and require immediate medical attention.
- Blood in urine or stool could be a sign of internal injuries in the kidneys, bowels, or other organs.
If you notice any of these symptoms after being involved in a car accident, visit a hospital or urgent care facility right away.
Common Internal Injuries Caused by a Car Wreck
The violent force inflicted on the body during a wreck can create many injuries. Some of the most common internal injuries that occur in car accidents in Las Vegas include:
- Traumatic brain injury — TBIs typically occur due to a blow to the head. Penetrating injuries also can cause a brain injury. TBIs range from minor concussions to severe hematomas and diffuse axonal injury which involves tearing of nerve fibers in the brain.
- Broken ribs — It is crucial to treat broken ribs as soon as possible. Some broken ribs require surgery to mend the fracture and prevent the rib from damaging internal organs.
- Pneumothorax — Broken ribs can penetrate the lungs, causing life-threatening damage to one of your body’s most vital organs. If a broken rib pierces a lung, you might have difficulty breathing, feel fatigued, and experience tightness in your chest.
- Damaged organs — Some of the most common internal injuries sustained in car accidents include a ruptured spleen, liver, diaphragm, or kidneys. Surgical intervention may be required to address damaged organs.
- Internal bleeding — Internal bleeding can occur if any of your blood vessels rupture due to a collision. Uncontrolled internal bleeding can lead to shock.
If you believe you have an internal injury, seek medical attention as soon as possible. In addition to protecting your health, visiting a medical provider within 72 hours of the accident is crucial if you need to file an insurance claim later. Most insurance providers require that claimants be seen within three days of an accident. Otherwise, they may argue that your injury stemmed from a separate incident.
Treatment and Compensation for Internal Injuries
The treatment for internal injuries depends on the nature and severity of the injury. If you begin to show symptoms of an internal injury, it’s crucial to be seen immediately by a medical provider. Your physician will use various tests to determine whether you have suffered an internal injury and the severity of the damage. They can diagnose you and administer the appropriate treatment.
If another driver’s negligence caused your internal injuries, the at-fault driver should be responsible for your treatment costs. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may seek to recover compensation for:
- Present and future medical expenses associated with your treatment
- Lost income, if you must take time off work while you are recovering from your injuries
- Lost future income, if you are disabled due to your internal injuries and are no longer able to perform your job duties
- Pain and suffering, including physical pain, emotional trauma, mental distress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and loss of quality of life
Punitive damages may be sought if you can prove the defendant acted with malice or with willful disregard for your safety. While financial and non-financial damages are intended to compensate you for specific losses you suffered, punitive damages punish the defendant for outrageous behavior or intentional misconduct.
An experienced attorney at Sam & Ash Injury Law can help you gather your medical bills and other accident expenses and quantify your losses resulting from the car accident. We can determine the fair value of your claim and submit a demand letter to the appropriate insurer, seeking full compensation for you. This is typically the starting point for settlement negotiations with the insurance company.
Get Legal Help If You Suffered Internal Injuries From a Car Accident
If you sustained significant internal injuries in a car accident in Las Vegas, you are likely suffering from pain and anxiety regarding your health. You may also be facing mounting medical bills and forced to take time off from work. During this challenging time, we’re here to help. Sam & Ash Injury Law has extensive experience representing car accident victims and helping people seek full compensation to move forward with their lives. You deserve to seek What’s Right.
Contact us today for a free case evaluation.
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