One common cause of car accidents is internal injuries. These can be some of the most dangerous types of injuries accident victims may experience, especially if you do not seek out immediate medical attention.
If you suffered internal injuries after an accident caused by someone else’s negligent actions, you have the right to pursue compensation. Our Fort Worth-area auto collision lawyers are prepared to help. We offer a free consultation to discuss your legal options. If you choose to work with us, we do not charge you any hourly fees, and we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. There is no financial risk to you.
Below, we discuss some of the common types of internal injuries and what your legal options may be.
What Types of Internal Injuries Can Result From a Crash?
The force from a car crash can result in serious trauma to the body. Victims of these accidents may hit their heads on a vehicle’s:
- Steering wheel
- Window
- Windshield
- Door panel
This can result in serious external injuries to the person’s head. However, the head is not the only body part in danger of experiencing severe trauma. Seatbelts, although lifesaving, can also cause serious injuries, especially to one’s abdomen.
A vehicle’s airbag can also result in serious injuries, including a broken nose or concussion. However, some of the most dangerous injuries are those we do not see right away – internal injuries.
Some of the most common types of internal injuries car accident victims may experience include:
- Brain bleeds – Bleeding in the brain can prevent oxygen from reaching certain areas, which can lead to permanent brain damage.
- Ruptured aorta – The aorta is the largest blood vessel in the body, and if it ruptures it can be fatal.
- Pneumothorax – Known better as a collapsed lung, this occurs when air leaks into the space between the lungs and chest wall.
- Ruptured spleen – The spleen is situated just below the rib cage, and damage to the ribs may cause a tear in the outer surface of the organ.
- Other organ injuries – More than just the spleen and lungs can be damaged in a high-impact car accident, including the liver and heart.
- Internal bleeding – Any trauma to blood vessels could cause unseen bleeding in the body, which can also be fatal.
Internal injuries can either be caused by penetrating trauma or blunt force trauma to the body. When a foreign object punctures the skin, this is considered a penetrating traumatic injury. If there is no penetration to the skin, but there is forceful impact to the body, it is called blunt force trauma.
Can I File a Claim for Internal Injuries?
If you suffered an internal injury after a crash caused by someone else’s negligent actions, you have the legal right to pursue compensation for your damages. Since Texas is an at-fault state, you should be able to file a claim with the at-fault driver’s liability insurance.
In doing so, you should be able to pursue compensation for things like:
- Emergency medical services
- Follow-up doctor’s visits
- Physical therapy sessions
- Surgery
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- And more
Medical costs associated with internal injuries can range from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, depending on their severity. To recover compensation, you will need to prove the at-fault driver’s negligent actions directly resulted in your damages.
How Can I Prove I Suffered Internal Injuries?
After an accident, it is important to get medical treatment right away. Once you see a doctor, he or she can diagnose your injuries and stabilize them to prevent further harm. Keeping up with medical treatment is also important.
Your medical records should help to prove your injuries, but you may also need testimony from an expert witness to bolster your claim.
What if the Insurance Company Denies My Claim?
The insurance company is going to try hard to deny or underpay your claim. They are not interested in your recovery, only their bottom line. Therefore, the insurance company will use certain tactics to find a reason to legally deny your claim.
These tactics can include:
- Claiming your injuries are not serious
- Hiring a private investigator to find damaging information
- Getting you to provide a recorded statement saying you are not injured
- Offering a quick, lowball settlement before you can determine the extent of your damages
- Working with a doctor who is not treating you to undermine the severity of your injuries
If your claim is denied, you may be able to file a lawsuit to pursue maximum compensation. With help from our attorneys, you can provide the evidence necessary to rebut the arguments made by the insurance company.
However, it may be in your best interest to work with an attorney from the moment you file your claim. This way, an attorney can provide legal advice to help you avoid having your claim denied, protecting the full value of your case.
Call a Licensed Attorney Today
If you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible for compensation. Let our experienced attorneys help.
Our lawyers have over 50 years of combined experience standing up for the rights of accident victims. We have successfully recovered millions on behalf of our clients. Let us fight for you.
Call (817) 920-9000 schedule a free consultation.