Car accidents may cause severe injuries that can both put your life at risk and lead to long-term health effects. Body parts being crushed or compressed in a crash are among the most serious complications.
If another driver was to blame for the car accident, you would be entitled to full financial compensation for car accident injuries. However, the insurance company does not make it easy for you to get the money coming to you.
If you or a loved one have been badly hurt in a car accident in South Carolina, contact our attorneys at Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, to schedule a free initial consultation.
How Crush Injuries Happen in a Car Accident
In serious car accidents, there is a chance that you or another passenger in your car were trapped for a considerable time. A body part may have been caught between two surfaces, or there may have been serious pressure on your chest and torso.
These injuries are not just dangerous for the amount of time that your body part was trapped.
You may also suffer debilitating physical effects from the aftermath of the forces pinning the body.
The Effects of Crush Injuries
Crush injuries may cause the following:
- Bleeding
- Bruising
- Open wounds
- Fractures
- Nerve injuries
- Infection
Crush injuries could also result in the loss of a limb. The bone may be so severely broken that the risk of an infection far outweighs any possible benefits from trying to save the limb. Doctors may make this decision shortly after the injury to reduce the chances of any life-threatening challenges.
In other cases, when the crush injury may occur to the chest and the torso, the victim is at risk of suffering catastrophic internal injuries due to the pressure on the lungs and chest.
Neurological and life-threatening effects
Crush injuries can have a devastating effect on your body, far beyond just the area that was impacted by the accident. A crush injury can lead to metabolic changes in your body. Your muscles could swell, or you could suffer neurological disturbances.
Once the pressure is relieved on the affected area, you then become at risk for crush syndrome.
At that point, the contents of the muscle cells are systematically released throughout the body, including potassium and myoglobin. These substances could have a severe effect on internal organs throughout the body.
You could develop crush syndrome when your extremities have been under severe pressure for as little as an hour. Most often, crush syndrome will develop when you have been exposed to pressure for 4 to 6 hours. Crush syndrome can result in permanent bodily injury and even be life-threatening.
Treatment Options for Car Accident Crush Injuries
You would likely need sudden and emergency treatment to both save your life and put you on the path to the fullest possible recovery. First responders would likely be the ones who give the most crucial treatment to keep you alive. They would administer isotonic fluids to reduce the risk of acute renal failure.
Mannitol is another potential treatment, although its use is controversial. Mannitol can decrease intracompartmental pressure in crushed limbs, although it is not safe for many patients. First responders often must make a quick decision about what treatment to administer at the scene, and they may hesitate to give Mannitol.
Doctors may perform a surgery called a fasciotomy. This procedure will decompress the compartment by incisions through the skin and fascia. The fasciotomy procedure must be performed shortly after the crush injury to prevent permanent damage.
Financial Compensation After a Crush Injury
If someone else was to blame for your car accident, they would be legally responsible for paying for all of the damages that you have suffered. To obtain this compensation, you need evidence showing they were at fault for the car accident.
You could be entitled to significant financial compensation for your crush injuries. If you have suffered permanent damage, the responsible driver would need to pay you for what you have endured and will continue to go through in the future.
A crush injury can result in permanent scarring or disfigurement. Oftentimes, you may never regain full functioning in the affected body part. If doctors decide to amputate the affected body part, you may suffer additional damages you’re entitled to, such as embarrassment and loss of enjoyment of life.
You may be living with the effects of a crush injury for the rest of your life. Your crush injury case may be worth far more than you think. An experienced attorney can review your situation and determine how much you may be due in compensation.
Contact a Camden Car Accident Attorney Today
The attorneys at Savage, Royall & Sheheen, LLP, make it their mission to ensure that your car accident claim gets full and fair consideration from the insurance company. If not, our aggressive lawyers are more than ready to litigate on your behalf. In any car accident case, information is power, and our attorneys will ensure that you have full knowledge of your legal rights and the process.
You can schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your case when you send us a message through our firm’s website or call us at 803-432-4391.