What You Need To Know About Personal Injury Claims for Internal Injury

Internal injuries from car accidents and other personal injury accidents can be devastating but they can also be difficult to identify. Afterall, you can’t technically “see” an internal injury and symptoms don’t always appear right away. An internal injury is any injury to the organs inside the abdominal, thoracic, or cranial cavities; these injuries can cause serious blood loss. Internal injuries are common in car accidents where the driver or passengers hit the steering wheel, windshield, or door panel or when an airbag deploys.

If you or a loved one has suffered a catastrophic injury – including an internal injury – because of the negligence of another, you may be able to recover damages. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can discuss your legal rights, assess the value of your claim, and help you fight for the settlement you deserve.

Common causes of internal injuries

The most common cause of internal injuries is high-speed motor vehicle accidents – particularly side-impact crashes, including:

• Car accidents
• Truck accidents
• Motorcycle accidents

Other types of personal injury accidents that can lead to internal injury, include:

• Bike accidents
• Sports accidents
• Slip and fall accidents
• Boating accidents
• Nursing home abuse
• Defective products

Most Common Types of Internal Injury Caused by Car Accidents and other Personal injury Accidents

Collarbone fracture

Drivers sometimes fracture their right collarbone and passengers sometimes fracture their left collarbone in an accident because of wearing a seatbelt. (An unfortunate possible effect of a very necessary safety device).

Internal bleeding

Internal bleeding may occur when the body experiences blunt force trauma or penetrating trauma, usually at high-speeds. Internal bleeding can be particularly serious around the lungs or heart and inside the skull, or when tears in the blood vessels happen near the center of the body.

Spleen and liver damage

Spleen and liver damage can happen when a person is wearing their seatbelt incorrectly and the lap-part of the belt spreads over the abdominal region. During a car accident, the lap-part can actually carve into a person’s spleen, liver, or stomach.

Signs and symptoms of internal injury

If you or a loved one was involved in a high-impact accident, it’s important look out for the signs and symptoms of internal injury so you can seek medical help as soon as possible. Signs include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Cold, sweaty skin
• Rapid pulse
• Low blood-pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• Abdominal pain and/or stiff abdomen
• Discoloration of the abdomen to a bluish color
• Tenderness over the area that was injured
• Right-side abdominal pain and right shoulder pain (could indicate damage to the liver)
• Left arm and shoulder pain (could indicate damage to the spleen)
• Blood in the urine (could indicate damage to the kidney)

Liability for organ damage and internal injuries

If you are dealing with organ damage or other internal injuries, you may be wondering if you can get compensation for your injuries. The first step in recovering a settlement is determining who is liable for the injuries. Most internal injuries are caused by negligence, or a failure to exercise appropriate care in a particular circumstance – such as a driving while intoxicated or speeding. A personal injury lawsuit based on negligence may be appropriate in this situation.

Do I need a personal injury lawyer to recover a settlement for internal injury?

While it is possible to reach a personal injury settlement with the insurance company without the help of a Seattle accident lawyer, those who seek representation usually recover much more favorable settlements. Internal injuries may lead to very expensive medical bills and lost wages due to time off of work recovering. Some may need a lifetime of care. The support of a personal injury lawyer is invaluable during this time, especially if fault for the accident may be shared or you were involved in a multi-vehicle accident.

The Seattle Personal Injury Attorneys You Want on Your Side

The personal injury attorneys at Tinker Law Firm have been winning birth injury, medical malpractice, and personal injury cases for individuals and their loved ones in Seattle and across Washington State since 1974. We seek justice for injury victims who have been harmed by preventable medical errors, and the negligent or abusive actions of another. Our clients pay no fees or expenses to file a personal injury claim; our firm advances out-of-pocket expenses and is only reimbursed when we recover a settlement on your behalf. Do not delay; personal injury claims in Washington State have a statute of limitations, which means they must be filed within a certain time from the date of the injury.

Call us now at (206) 752-4366 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation with one of our skilled and experienced injury attorneys.