Internal Injuries in Car Accidents in Yakima

Internal injuries are common in car accidents in the Yakima Valley when organs, bones and soft tissue are damaged by being slammed against one another or other structures of the body, or are penetrated by foreign objects.

At the point of impact in a car accident, drivers and passengers may be slammed against seatbelts, air bags and the car’s dashboard, windshield, steering wheel, seatbacks and other hard surfaces. They may also be hit by cargo that was not secured or by debris torn from the vehicle, which bruises or tears into the body.

It’s likely that an internal injury will require the victim to undergo surgery. This represents a huge cost for hospitalization before and after the procedure, as well as lost income during recovery. In some cases, organ damage and internal bleeding are overlooked after a car crash because they don’t show symptoms. This leads to complications and unnecessary deaths.

Types of Internal Injuries

Recovery from internal injuries suffered in a car crash is likely to be lengthy and expensive.

Serious internal injuries that are not fatal will require emergency medical treatment, diagnostic tests such as CT scans and MRIs, a hospital stay, surgery, and recovery time that may include physical therapy. A severe internal injury can change an accident victim’s life forever, and years later may be the primary cause of death. The victim’s family members, who are often caregivers for someone severely injured in a car crash, will be adversely affected as well.

Internal injuries common to car accidents include:

• Internal bleeding. Trauma to organs or the vascular system can cause internal bleeding or “internal hemorrhage.” A serious loss of blood caused by a delay in treatment or a severe injury can cause an accident victim to go into shock or cardiac arrest.
• Abdominal injuries. Blunt force trauma or penetration that damages abdominal organs, such as the bowels, stomach, kidneys or spleen, can present a risk of severe blood loss and infection, as well as failure of the damaged organ.
• Broken ribs. Bone fractures are common in car accidents. Ribs break easily and, if these broken bones displace, their sharp ends can pierce major organs and cause life-threatening complications, including infection or organ failure.
• Chest injury. A driver pushed against the steering wheel in a car crash may break the sternum, the bone that protects the heart. A blow to the chest can also fracture ribs or rupture the diaphragm, the muscle that propels the lungs. A sudden blow to the chest can result in direct trauma to the heart, lungs, liver and other organs, or shards from a broken sternum or rib may pierce an internal organ.
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI). A blow or jolt to the head can cause the brain to be pushed violently against the inside of the skull. The resulting brain damage can range from a concussion that clears up in a few weeks to debilitating permanent brain damage that results in the victim needing continuing care and assistance. Mild to severe TBI will typically cause varying problems with cognitive function (judgment, memory and learning, for example), speech and emotional stability.

Our Yakima Car Accident Lawyer Help Internal Injury Victims

If a car accident in the Yakima area has left you or a loved one with serious internal injuries, you may be entitled to compensation for the expenses and losses you have suffered.

At Mariano Morales Law, we understand the severe financial hardship that internal injuries suffered in a car accident can cause victims and victims’ families. We work to help accident victims obtain compensation to assist with their recovery and cope with disabilities. We develop persuasive cases to take to insurance companies, and negotiate from a position of strength.

Contact the car accident lawyers at Mariano Morales Law in Yakima for a free initial consultation about your internal injuries from a car crash. We represent car accident victims from the Yakima Valley and the Tri-Cities (Richland, Pasco and Kennewick), as well as from the Wenatchee, Grant County and Chelan County areas. Call us now at (509) 853-2222 or fill out our contact form online.