Car accidents frequently occur on Alabama roadways, and they often result in significant injuries. Internal bleeding from a car accident is one of the potentially life-threatening effects of a collision. Understanding the symptoms of internal bleeding after a car accident could be critical to your health.
How Car Accidents Can Cause Internal Bleeding
Can you get internal bleeding from a car accident? Unfortunately, yes, internal bleeding from injuries in a car accident is possible. The force of a car crash can severely injure the internal organs of vehicle occupants. For example, if a passenger is struck by an airbag or ejected from the vehicle when they’re not wearing a seatbelt, they can suffer devastating and sometimes fatal internal injuries.
Internal organ damage can result from either blunt force trauma or penetrating trauma in a car accident. Blunt force injuries occur when your body hits something solid inside the vehicle at high speed, such as the dashboard, causing blood vessels to be torn or crushed. Penetrating trauma occurs when a sharp, foreign object enters the body during a car accident, such as glass, causing internal organ damage from a penetrating wound.
Internal bleeding is a consequence of internal organ damage that occurs inside the body, which allows blood to flow into a body cavity or space. It can cause serious health complications.
Symptoms of Car Accident Internal Bleeding
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of an internal injury may be critical to your health after a motor vehicle accident. If you experience any of the following internal bleeding symptoms, you should seek immediate medical attention at an emergency room:
- Abdominal pain
- Rigid abdomen
- Severe pain in your left arm and shoulder could indicate a spleen injury
- Right shoulder pain and pain on the right side of your abdomen could indicate a liver injury
- Cold, clammy skin
- Low blood pressure
- Blood in your urine
- Blue discoloration on your abdomen
- Nausea and vomiting
- Rapid pulse
- Loss of consciousness
Treatment for Internal Bleeding
Internal bleeding is an emergency medical condition that requires immediate medical attention. The first step in treating internal bleeding is to locate its source to stop it. While some bleeding may stop on its own, other cases are more severe and could require a surgical procedure.
The emergency room physician will evaluate the organ or blood vessel that was injured and your overall health. For mild cases, your doctor may prescribe rest and symptom control to allow your body time to heal and reabsorb the blood. In catastrophic accidents, surgical intervention may be required to stop the bleeding and clear out pooled blood.
Once the bleeding stops, your surgical team will focus on repairing injuries and stabilizing your body. Blood transfusions may be required to offset the blood loss from serious internal bleeding.
Get Help from Our Alabama Car Accident Lawyers Now
If you suffered an internal bleeding injury in a car accident that was not your fault, contact a personal injury attorney at Morris, King & Hodge, P.C. With an experienced car accident lawyer on your side, you can focus on recovering from your internal injuries while we protect your legal rights and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve. Contact us today to get started with a free consultation.
