It’s easy to get banged up in a car accident and have the bruises to show for it. In fact, bruising is probably the most tell-tale sign that you’ve been in an accident. Bruising, which is another word for contusion - occurs when blood vessels underneath your skin are damaged by blunt force trauma.
Crash-related bruising can be minor and disappear over time, or it can be indicative of much more serious injuries beneath the surface. In any case, consulting with an expert auto accident lawyer in San Diego is advised.
How Do Car Accidents Cause Bruising?
The easiest way to suffer a contusion in a car accident is by experiencing blunt force trauma when you:
- Hit your chest against the steering wheel
- Strike your head on the dashboard, window, or another part of the vehicle
- Are struck by the airbag as it deploys
- Are restrained by the seatbelt
- Land on the ground after being ejected from the vehicle
- Get hit by debris generated from the crash
Do not hesitate to seek prompt medical care if you’ve suffered blunt force trauma in a recent California car accident, even if you think your injuries are relatively minor. Many times, bruising can indicate the possibility that you’ve suffered more serious internal trauma. A thorough medical evaluation can help to identify other injuries that, in many cases, could pose a very real threat to your health and safety.
Contusions Can Be Signs of More Serious Physical Injuries
If you’ve suffered contusions or bruising in a California car accident, it’s possible that you may experience other serious injuries, including:
- Hemorrhaging: Contusions may be indicative of uncontrolled internal bleeding that, if not treated, could result in death.
- Hematomas: Hematomas are pools of clotted blood that form beneath the skin, in body tissue, or around organs.
- Hemothorax: A hemothorax occurs when blood pools in the cavity between your lung and chest wall, typically when the heart and nearby arteries are badly damaged.
- Traumatic brain injury: If you’ve suffered a contusion to the head, it’s possible that you’ve also sustained a traumatic brain injury
- Acute compartment syndrome: Acute compartment syndrome occurs when there is uncontrolled swelling and bleeding around a group of muscles, nerves, and blood vessels, resulting in reduced blood flow to that area. Emergency surgery is typically necessary to treat this complication
Signs of contusions include swelling, discoloration, tenderness, limited range of motion, and stiffness.
If you’ve experienced a bump, blow, or jolt to any part of your body during a car accident in California, seek prompt medical care. Then contact an experienced car accident attorney near you in Santa Rosa, California to discuss your legal rights and options. If someone else caused your crash and resulting contusions, they should be held accountable for your medical bills, loss of income, and other related damages.
At Singleton Schreiber, our Sacramento, CA car accident lawyers have decades of experience fighting for crash victims who’ve suffered bruising, contusions, and other serious soft tissue injuries. Through fearless advocacy, we’ve helped clients win billions. Call one of our law offices in California - conveniently located in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, and Santa Rosa - to set a time for a free consultation now.
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