After a collision, not all injuries are apparent and seen outside the body.
Internal injuries are not always immediately obvious and can trick a victim into thinking they are fine.
This is a mistake.
Any delays in medical treatment can lead to severe complications and sometimes even death.
But how do you know if you’ve suffered an internal injury, and what are the most common types of internal injuries from car accidents?
Read on to learn about examples of internal injuries and what you may recover if you suffered one after a collision.
Contact us by calling (419) 455-1410 or sending an online message for a free consultation with our experienced Ohio car accident lawyers.
Discover how our team can support you through your legal journey today.
Common Types of Car Accident Internal Injuries
Simply put, an internal injury is not seen outside the body. While there are various types of internal injury examples, we discuss the most common internal injuries in car accidents in the following list.
Brain Injuries
The force of the impact in a car accident can cause brain injuries, regardless of whether the airbag is activated or not. While concussions are the least serious of potential brain injuries, even a concussion can interrupt a victim’s daily life for weeks or months.
More serious traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) can forever change a person’s life. Traumatic brain injuries are often permanent and require constant medical supervision and medication.
Fractured Ribs
Broken ribs are internal injuries that usually heal on their own. However, the healing process is painful and lengthy. With broken ribs, every time a person breathes in, they may experience chest pain. Additionally, undertaking any sudden movements or lifting heavy objects causes significant pain until the injury fully heals.
Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention to avoid further complications. Internal bleeding cannot be seen from the outside of the body and occurs when an organ or blood vessels in the body suffer trauma, such as after a car accident. Untreated, internal bleeding can cause low blood pressure, organ failure, and death.
Ligament and Soft Tissue Tearing
Treatments for ligament and soft tissue damage require a medical diagnosis. Once confirmed, your doctor may prescribe a treatment regimen to avoid further damage or complications. These injuries may take weeks or more to heal enough for you to participate in everyday activities.
Organ Damage
Your liver, kidneys, and spleen are vital organs that, due to their location in the body, are susceptible to injury in a car accident. The stomach, pancreas, intestines, and other organs are also vulnerable to injury.
These injuries may not be visible from the outside of the body. However, complications from organ damage can have lasting consequences. Seek medical attention after a collision, even if you believe you’ve suffered no injury.
Punctured or Collapsed Lungs
Collapsed or punctured lungs result from the trauma and force of a collision. These injuries may not have any external signs or symptoms. However, a victim experiencing extreme chest pain and tenderness may have suffered injury to their lungs.
Collapsed lungs may heal on their own. However, they may also lead to medical injuries where a person cannot breathe. Medical intervention is vital to avoiding any further harm to this critical organ.
Spinal Cord Injuries
Spinal cord injuries are severe, as severe spinal cord injuries are permanent and life-altering. Herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, and other types of spinal cord injuries require lengthy recovery periods where a victim is likely unable to work or undertake any of the activities they engaged in before their accident.
Nerve Damage
Nerve damage is common after an accident and damages the pathways sending messages between your body and brain. Severe nerve damage may cause permanent damage. Minor signs of nerve damage may be a tingly sensation in extremities, while more severe nerve damage can result in paralysis. While most nerve damage is not permanent, it’s vital to seek immediate medical attention to avoid further complications.
What Damages Can I Recover?
Ohio law allows car accident victims to recover compensatory damages divided into economic and noneconomic damages. Compensatory damages seek to make a victim whole after suffering losses due to someone else’s negligence.
Economic Damages
Economic damages include the following losses:
- Medical expenses,
- Lost wages,
- Loss of future earnings, and
- Property damage.
Internal injuries after a car accident create significant tangible losses for victims. Your attorney uses documentation like invoices, pay stubs, receipts, and other similar evidence of your damages to prove the extent of your economic harm and calculate its value.
Noneconomic Damages
Noneconomic damages are much harder to prove. A medical evaluation may reveal the signs of internal injury after a car accident. Still, the physical pain, emotional distress, and impact on your daily life are more challenging to establish.
Examples of noneconomic damages include:
- Pain and suffering,
- Emotional distress,
- Loss of consortium,
- Loss of enjoyment of life, and
- Permanent injury or disability.
The extent to which internal injuries from car accidents impact a victim’s life varies from person to person. However, no matter the degree of impact, it’s vital for a victim to recover the value of these losses.
Through your testimony and the testimony of friends, family, and medical experts, your attorney values these subjective losses to help you and your family move forward after your experience.
Contact Us
Aaron L. Bensinger of Bensinger Legal Services is ready to assist clients in various personal injury and civil litigation matters. When you work with Aaron, you know you’re more than just another case. He focuses on each client and gives them the attention they deserve.
For nearly 20 years, Aaron has honed his impeccable skills as an attorney, giving victims a voice. He doesn’t hesitate to take on large insurance companies or take your case to trial if necessary. He understands how devastating a serious injury can be and works tirelessly to help you and your family get your life back.
With an extensive background that includes handling federal cases, Ohio cases, California cases, and administrative actions, Aaron will get to work while you focus on healing.
Contact us online or call (419) 455-1410 today for a free case review to learn how we can assist you.
Aaron L. Bensinger is an Ohio attorney serving personal injury and civil litigation clients. He has extensive trial experience and makes client service is his primary focus. As a partner at Balyeat, Leahy, Daley, Miller & Bensinger, LLC, Aaron happily works in Lima, OH, and serves the entire Northwest region of the state and beyond.
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