Car accidents create an intense risk of serious injury. The angle, speed, and types of vehicles involved often determine the specific types of injuries that happen. One of the most severe is car accident chest injuries. Because of the location of the steering wheel, it is not uncommon for drivers struck by others to suffer serious injuries to their chest and internal organs. Talk to a Phoenix car accident attorney about your chest injuries today.
Types of Car Accident Chest Injuries
Various types of car accident chest injuries are possible. Some of the most common include:
- Myocardial contusions: This is a type of heart tissue bruise. It can make it hard for the heart to function or cause damage to the nerves that control the heart’s beat.
- Broken ribs: Your ribs are meant to protect everything that is behind them, but they are some of the easiest bones to break in a car accident.
- Pulmonary contusions: Another type of contusion impacts the tissues of the lungs. These can be very challenging to detect unless there is a notable drop in oxygen levels in a person.
- Hemothorax: This type of accident occurs when there is pooling blood between the chest wall and your lungs. This can occur if a broken rib pierces the tissues in that area, though it can also be done to any other type of chest contusion.
- Abdominal organ injury: It is possible that any organ located in your abdomen, including your liver, lungs, kidneys, or pancreas, can suffer tissue damage after an accident due to the penetration of debris or due to impact and force.
What Causes Car Accident Chest Injuries?
As noted, many factors can lead to the onset of car accident chest injuries. In every situation, those injuries will range in severity. However, some of the most common reasons for them include:
- Speeding: Crashes at a high rate of speed are more likely to cause injuries to another person, including crushing and chest-related fractures.
- Seatbelts: Though they are a life-saving device, seatbelts create intense pressure on the chest during an intense accident. Your car puts that pressure on the belt, which can keep you from being ejected but at the same time cause chest injuries.
- Airbags: Again, though they can save your life by protecting your brain, airbags can be a key factor in the onset of trauma injuries. Airbag injuries can cause damage to the ribs and organs.
- Steering wheels: The steering wheel can suddenly begin to work against you in these accidents. Because it is such a hard surface, a fast-moving vehicle accident, including a rear-ending, can cause a serious amount of injury to the organs, tissues, and bones in this area.
What to Do After a Chest Injury in a Car Accident
Victims of a car accident should always seek medical care right away. A core component of the follow-up care provided by the hospital is screening for any chest injuries. Because they can be life-threatening, most ERs will conduct numerous tests to determine if there is a risk of those injuries being present. After getting medical care, seek out legal guidance. These are serious injuries that can change the course of your life. Our legal team of Phoenix injury lawyers at Sargon Law Group can offer you the guidance you need to recover from these accidents. Set up a free consultation to discuss car accident chest injuries you have had.