According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Federal government and the state of California have passed laws over the past few years that have lessened the overall number of crashes, but the leading cause of US injuries is still motor-vehicle crashes. Of those crashes, folks in the US spend over a million days each year in the hospital with around $18 billion in lifetime medical costs. Three quarters of those expenses accrue in the first year and a half after the accident.
There’s a lot passengers can do to lessen the degree of injuries during a crash, including the use of proper safety equipment and regular vehicle maintenance. Avoiding the accident in the first place is always the goal. The enacted laws attempt to address this, but not all state laws address the suggestions for safety in equal measure. When a vehicle crash does happen, the injuries and damage done to passengers can be devastating.
Central Valley Auto Accident Internal Injuries
The central area of California is known both for its long, drivable stretches of road, and its number of collisions. Three types of impacts occur in any collision: vehicle impact, body impact, and organ impact. Broken bones, lacerations, and bleeding are outcomes from the second type of impact (body) and are often easily diagnosed on the scene. In a collision, even with seat restraints, the body’s internal parts move at the same speed as the vehicle until impact. The vehicle and even the body may stop moving, but inside, parts of you keep going, causing serious internal damage. Internal injuries to vital organs are harder to diagnose at the scene of the accident but are often more devastating to the lives of the victims and their families. It’s critical to get an immediate diagnosis and to do exhaustive testing for organ injuries. Delay in internal diagnosis and treatment can multiply the negative effects or even result in death. If medical personnel fail to detect treatable injuries, there might be a case for negligence.
Types of Internal Injuries and Symptoms
Common internal injuries that need immediate attention include: organ damage from blunt trauma (kidney, spleen, bowels, lungs, pancreas and liver), broken ribs (which can perforate major organs), perforations in gastrointestinal walls, internal bleeding from abdominal or aortic aneurysms, and brain injuries. Symptoms of internal damage to vital organs to pay attention to:
- Profuse sweating
- Bruising
- Abdominal swelling
- Rapid breathing and/or heart rate
- Confusion and poor mental orientation
If you or loved one was recently in a vehicle collision and suffered organ damage, you’ll need compassionate counsel to know how to walk through the complex process of investigation, proving liability, dealing with insurance and getting full compensation for all types of damages. It’s even more complicated to file a wrongful death claim, but the Maison Law Firm will be there for you. We’ll help you know what damages you might be entitled to and make sure your rights are protected. Don’t wait to get help if you’re dealing the fallout from injuries or death resulting from a vehicle collision. Contact the Maison Law Firm today.
