Recovering Compensation for Crush Injuries

The severity of injuries sustained by a person in an accident depends on a number of factors, including the type of accident in question. Any accident that involves a significant amount of force or pressure, however, can result in crush injuries. This includes everything from vehicle collisions and workplace accidents to building collapses and accidents involving defective machinery. Whatever their cause, crush injuries tend to be extremely painful, as well as difficult and expensive to treat, so if you recently suffered a crush injury in an accident that was not your fault, it is important to contact an experienced Council Bluffs, IA personal injury lawyer who can help you seek compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other accident-related losses. 

What are Crush Injuries?

Crush injuries occur when excessive force or pressure is applied to a part of the body for a prolonged period of time. The resulting damage to the soft tissue, nerves, and muscles and eventual release of the pressure on the body part then leads to excessive swelling and extreme pain. The symptoms that are typical of these types of injuries vary depending on the seriousness of the injury in question. Minor crush injuries, for example, may only result in pain, bruising, and minor lacerations, while serious crush injuries could lead to permanent nerve damage and internal bleeding. Generally, those who sustain crush injuries can expect to experience some or all of the following symptoms:

• Bleeding;

• Bruising;

• Fractures;

• Excessive swelling;

• Open wounds;

• Traumatic brain injury (TBI); and

• Secondary infections.

While these symptoms can affect any part of the body, most impact the extremities, including the arms, hands, legs, and feet, all of which are more likely to be crushed in an accident than other parts of the body. 

Internal Crush Injuries 

Unfortunately, not all crush injuries are immediately obvious to accident victims. For instance, internal crush injuries, which could include everything from compressed nerves and internal organ damage to fractures and internal bleeding, often don’t begin manifesting until hours or days after the traumatic event, while the body attempts to handle changes in pressure and fluid levels in the injured area. When the body is no longer able to compensate for these changes, however, the built-up pressure could lead to internal injury, such as acute compartment syndrome, which occurs when pressure within the muscles increases to such a degree that oxygen can no longer reach nerve and muscle cells. Rhabdomyolysis is another condition that can accompany internal crush injuries and occurs when muscle tissues break down after being compressed, releasing muscle fiber contents into the bloodstream. These particles can then get caught in the kidneys, where they coagulate and form a barrier, which in turn prevents the kidneys from filtering toxins out of the blood. If left untreated, rhabdomyolysis can lead to blood poisoning and kidney failure. 

Crush Injury Causes 

Crush injuries have a number of different causes, but most can be linked to traumatic events like vehicle collisions, in which the crash causes a person’s body part to be pressed between objects within the car. A passenger who is involved in a head-on collision, for example, could have his or her legs squeezed under the dashboard, leading to serious crush injuries. These types of injuries are not, however, limited to situations where a person is crushed by objects inside of a car, as crush injuries can also occur when a person is crushed between two objects that are outside of a car, such as when a motorist is thrown from a vehicle and crushed between the vehicle and a wall. Building collapses and malfunctioning machinery can also result in serious, and potentially deadly, crush injuries. 

Treatment Options 

Treating crush injuries is a complicated process and depending on the site and severity of the injury, could require:

• Fluid replacement and monitoring, including blood transfusions;

• Kidney dialysis, which uses a machine to filter the blood and remove harmful waste;

• Use of hyberbaric oxygen therapy, which increases oxygen levels in plasma, enhances tissue viability, reduces fluid outflow, assists wound healing, and reduces bacterial growth;

• Use of antibiotic medications;

• Surgery to reduce pressure, repair fractures, remove necrotic muscles, or amputate the affected limb; and

• Physical therapy and rehabilitation.

Unfortunately, this type of treatment can be expensive, making it especially important for those whose injuries are the result of someone else’s negligence, to speak with an experienced attorney about seeking compensation for their past and future medical bills and lost wages. 

Call Today to Schedule a Case Review 

Please call our office to speak with one of the experienced personal injury lawyers at Telpner Peterson Law Firm about your own recovery options following a serious accident. We can be reached at 919-821-7700 or via online message, so please don’t hesitate to call or contact us online today. 

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About the Author:

Walter Thomas