It can be easy to overlook an internal injury. It is important for Tennessee auto accident victims to seek medical attention as soon as possible after being involved in a collision. Internal injuries are not always apparent and can often lack any outwardly visible signs of trauma. As with most other types of car accident injuries, the longer that an internal injury goes untreated, the more severe medical issues can become as a result.
If you or a loved one has suffered internal injuries in a Knoxville car wreck that was cause through no fault of your own, we urge you to speak with one of our attorneys as soon as possible. The sooner you begin the legal process, the better your chances of recovering fair compensation for damages from the accident.
To begin exploring your legal options, contact our internal injury attorneys today by completing the Free Case Review form to the right.
Internal Injury Categories
A car accident injury victim can sustain internal injuries without any physical signs of trauma, which is why its critical that victims see a doctor right away. Internal injuries that go without treatment can become fatal.
Internal injuries can be classified as two different types of trauma: either penetrating or blunt trauma.
- Penetrating Trauma This type of internal injury happens when a foreign object actually punctures the skin and tears a hole in one or more blood vessels. Some common examples of penetrating internal injuries include gunshot wounds, stabbings or falling onto a sharp object.
- Blunt Trauma This type of internal injury happens when a part of the victims body collides with another object at high speeds. Blood vessels in the body can be wounded by the blunt object or by the sheer force of impact.
Types of Internal Injuries
Some of the most common types of internal injuries include internal bleeding, rib and torso injuries, pneumothorax, organ damage, ruptured spleen and abdominal aorta rupture.
Internal Bleeding
An internal bleeding injury happens when blood vessels become damaged and are unable to clot or repair themselves in any way. An internal bleeding injury can become a serious medical emergency, depending on the location of the injury. If left untreated, an internal bleeding injury can result in cardiac arrest and wrongful death.
Rib and Torso Injuries
More than two million car accidents every year result in some type of rib and torso injury. These injuries are often extremely painful since the simple act of breathing can cause excruciating agony. Additionally, the treatment of rib and torso injuries can often become costly.
Pneumothorax
Pneumothorax is one of, if not the most severe type of torso injury. In this type of injury, a broken rib punctures the lung and causes the lung to collapse. Once the lung collapses, air can enter into the chest cavity. An abnormal collection of air in the space that separates the lung from the chest wall can interfere with normal breathing.
Organ Damage
It is possible for any organ to become so damaged from the force of impact that internal bleeding results that will eventually shutdown the affected organ entirely.
Ruptured Spleen
A car accident victim can suffer from a ruptured spleen when an impact happens on the left side of the body. Once a spleen has been removed, a patient must receive immunizations to prevent infections, like pneumonia. Treatment of splenic ruptures can be very expensive and completely deteriorate the quality of life of the victim.
Abdominal Aorta Rupture
The aorta can become ruptured if the stomach becomes compressed in a collision. This type of injury is usually fatal. Large amounts of blood spill into the abdominal cavity and can often result in death within minutes of this type of injury occurring.
Contact an Experienced Tennessee Internal Injury Lawyer Today
Internal injury victims may fail to realize just how seriously they were hurt or the full extent of their emotional and financial losses they incurred from an accident until it is too late to file a claim. Tennessee has a strict statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim. We urge you to contact an attorney from our firm right away to begin the legal process if you suffered an internal injury through the actions of another.
At Greg Coleman Law, our internal injury lawyers have the skills and resources necessary to successfully litigate an injury claim. With an office in Knoxville, we are dedicated to helping injured Tennessee residents fight for their rights in the court of law.
We believe that when someone has suffered harm through the actions of another, whether through negligence or malicious intent, they deserve access to legal counsel, regardless of their financial status. To ensure this, our firm operates on a contingency fee basis. This means that if you choose to hire our firm to pursue justice for your condition, there is never any cost to you until we obtain a favorable outcome for your claim.
If you are unsure if you have reason to file a Tennessee internal injury claim, do not hesitate to contact our lawyers to schedule a free, initial consultation. During a consultation, a member of our legal team will assess the merits of your claim and offer guidance on how to best pursue legal recourse for your injuries.
For more information on the legal rights which may be available to Knoxville internal injury victims and their families or to schedule a confidential, no-obligation case evaluation with one of our attorneys, please complete the Free Case Review form on this page.
