When vehicles that weigh almost 4,000 lbs. collide at any speed, the drivers and passengers are subjected to a significant level of force and stress. Great force applied to the body can cause injury to the internal organs. While external bleeding through the skin is easily recognized, internal bleeding may be more difficult to detect. Internal injuries can be serious, and victims must receive emergency medical attention.
According to WebMD, any significant physical injury can result in internal bleeding. The two types of trauma that cause internal bleeding are:
- Blunt Trauma: When part of a body collides with an object, generally at high speed, internal blood vessels are torn or crushed through impact with a blunt object or through sheer force. Car accidents are a leading cause of blunt trauma resulting in internal injuries.
- Penetrating Trauma: When a foreign object penetrates the body and tears the blood vessels, internal bleeding occurs. Knife and gunshot wounds are examples of penetrating trauma.
Types of Internal Injuries
There are several types of injuries that result in internal bleeding. All of these types of injuries can occur in traffic collisions:
- Orthopedic Injuries:
When bones are broken, significant bleeding occurs, because blood cell production takes place within the bone marrow. The body can lose 10% or more of its blood supply as a result of fractured long bones, such as the upper arm bone or the thigh bone.
- Compression Injuries:
When an organ is compressed between two hard surfaces because of external force applied to the body, compression injuries and internal bleeding can occur.
- Deceleration Injuries:
These injuries occur when a moving body is stopped suddenly. The body of someone traveling in a motor vehicle is moving at the same speed as the vehicle. When the car strikes another object, the speed of the vehicle is suddenly reduced greatly or stopped. The body may slam into a stationery object, such as the steering wheel of the car. Different parts of the moving body will stop at different times, which could cause organs to shift and attached blood vessels to tear.
Legal Help for Victims of Car Accidents with Internal Injuries
California is a “fault” state for car insurance purposes. If someone else is legally at fault for the accident that caused your injuries, there are very few restrictions on pursuing an insurance claim or lawsuit against the responsible party. Among other things, you may be entitled to compensation for:
- Pain and suffering
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Lost earning potential and future income
- Property damage
Recovering compensation will be based upon establishing liability in automobile accident cases. When you work with our seasoned accident attorneys at Avrek Law Firm, our professional team will investigate the accident and gather evidence, such as police reports and eyewitness testimony. When the negligent party has been established, we move forward, working tirelessly and aggressively to pursue the maximum level of compensation. Call today for a free case evaluation, or use our online form for a fast response.
- WebMD: First Aid & Emergencies: Internal Bleeding Due to Trauma
- Emedicine health: Internal Bleeding