Not every car accident injury is visible. While visible injuries are certainly dangerous, internal injuries are silently harming your body. You may not even realize that you are hurt at first. Regardless of the type of injury, you are eligible for full financial compensation when someone else’s actions caused your car accident. The Moncks Corner car accident attorneys at the West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers are here to fight for you.
How Car Accident Internal Injuries Happen
Internal injuries happen because your body suffers sudden and extreme trauma in a car accident. Although seatbelts save lives, they are also the most common cause of internal injuries resulting from car accidents. Your body can lurch forward, and the seatbelt may dig into your body. In other cases, your body will make contact with a hard surface.
From a medical standpoint, internal injuries may be caused by damage to the blood vessels within the body. The trauma of the car accident may also damage your body’s organs.
Common Internal Injuries in a Car Accident
Examples of internal injuries that you may suffer from a car accident include:
- Broken ribs: You may begin to feel symptoms of broken ribs because you have pain and difficulty breathing. Fractured ribs are dangerous because they can damage surrounding areas in the body, potentially puncturing a lung.
- Internal bleeding: The damage to the blood vessels can cause you to bleed inside your body. Internal bleeding may prevent blood from circulating in your body. If internal bleeding is not treated in time, it can damage your organs or even cause death.
- Kidney damage: Sudden trauma to your body can damage the kidneys. These injuries can cause you to lose renal function. In severe cases, you may even need to have the kidney removed.
- Punctured and collapsed lungs: A puncture in the lung can lead to a collapse, causing shortness of breath. A buildup of air in the area around the lungs can keep the lungs from expanding.
- Liver damage: Trauma to the liver can keep it from performing its functions, resulting in potentially life-threatening complications. Liver damage can cause a buildup of bile in the body or severe internal bleeding.
Internal Injuries Can Be Undetected
The major danger of internal injuries is that you may not immediately know that you have suffered an injury. The fact that you cannot feel or see the injury does not mean that it is not there. Your internal injury can grow worse rapidly without treatment. Therefore, it is essential to see a doctor as soon as you feel any symptoms of an internal injury. Some signs that you have suffered an internal injury include:
- Lightheadedness
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Pain in the chest or abdomen
- Blood in the urine
- Thirst and fatigue
Get Medical Help for Car Accident Internal Injuries
If you have been involved in a serious car accident, it is always better to see a doctor, even if you do not think that you have suffered an injury. In a best-case scenario, you will get a clean bill of health from your doctor. Acting out of an abundance of caution can prevent more serious long-term injury, and it may even save your life. Your post-accident medical care is one area where you are truly better safe than sorry.
How to Get Compensation for Car Accident Internal Injuries
If you have suffered an injury in a car accident, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible after the car accident. Although you may be busy with medical care and dealing with your physical injuries, it is essential to keep an eye on the legal process. Waiting too long can harm your chances of getting a settlement check.
Your lawyer will begin to review your case once you hire them. An attorney will investigate the cause of the accident, gathering any evidence that can prove that someone else was at fault. Proving negligence is an absolute requirement for you to get car accident compensation.
Once your attorney has completed their investigation and they have estimated the value of your claim, they will help you determine the best way to get financial compensation. Most likely, it will involve filing a claim with the responsible driver’s insurance company. Your claim will include the following:
- Evidence that shows the other driver was responsible for the crash
- Proof of your damages
You may file a claim or send the insurance company a demand letter with the exact sum that you are seeking. Even if the insurance company makes you a settlement offer, you will still likely have a drawn-out process because you will need to negotiate with them to get more money.
You can count on the insurance company to do everything that it can to minimize your suffering, so it can get away with paying you less.
Contact a Moncks Corner Car Accident Lawyer Today
When you need a car accident lawyer in Moncks Corner, West Law Firm Personal Injury Lawyers are in your corner. Our attorneys fight hard for you to get the money that you need, cutting through the red tape and excuses that insurance companies use to avoid paying you. You can send us a message online or call us today at 843-483-8630 to schedule your free initial consultation.
Car Accident Case FAQs
What does negligence mean in a car accident?
Negligence is what you must prove to get financial compensation. This legal term means that the other driver did not act as a reasonable driver would have under the circumstances.
How do I prove that someone else was negligent?
You need more than just your word. Physical evidence and witness testimony can demonstrate and prove what happened in the car accident.
What happens to my legal case if I do not get prompt treatment?
The insurance company may argue that you made your injuries worse by failing to seek legal treatment quickly, and they may try to reduce what they pay you in a settlement.