Car accidents in northwest Indiana usually involve some form of blunt force trauma to different parts of the body, with one of the major areas being the abdomen. Blunt force trauma, put loosely, is any kind of force that hits a certain part of the body hard enough to cause some kind of injury. Your abdomen houses critical organs such as your liver, spleen, kidney, stomach and intestines, and it is one of the most vulnerable body parts to receive injuries shortly after a Northwest Indiana car accident.
Delayed Injuries After An Indiana Car Accident
For the most part, abdominal injuries are what we call delayed injuries. That is to say, you won’t notice them until days or weeks after your Northwest Indiana car accident. it’s not uncommon to suffer internal bleeding and infections due to an abdominal injury that may have been overlooked when you sought treatment after your car crash.
Here are some of the signs and symptoms of abdominal injury after a car accident:
- Persistent stomach pain with certain areas of the abdomen being tender to the touch.
- Abdomen rigidity or stiffness
- Stomach swelling
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Blood in one’s urine
- Hernia
Why Seeking Prompt Treatment is Important
It is important to seek prompt medical attention if you experience any of the symptoms listed above, as you may have a life-threatening complication waiting to go awry. It may be that your intestines were affected and are leaking fecal matter into the abdominal cavity which can put you at risk of massive infection, or your liver may have been compromised, causing massive internal bleeding.
Seat Belts Causing Abdominal Injuries
Abdominal injuries after a Northwest Indiana car accident can be caused by the pressure of one’s seat belt digging into the stomach, or being thrown up against the dashboard, back of a seat or the steering wheel even when strapped in.
When it comes to diagnosis, doctors will perform a plain film x-ray to find out if there are any free air and fluid pockets in the abdomen indicating injury. They may also ask for an abdominal CT scan to be performed to check for things like organ lacerations and hemorrhage.
Abdominal injuries usually lead to serious injuries which will require surgery. This will be costly and something you shouldn’t have to pay out of pocket for if you were involved in a Northwest Indiana accident that wasn’t your fault.
Legal Help for Northwest Indiana Car Accidents
Let us help you file a Northwest Indiana car accident lawsuit to help you recover compensation that will go a long way in helping you rebuild your life by getting you the care that you need as well as reimburse you for lost wages as well as pain and suffering. Give us a call today on 877-561-3004 for more information. Thanks, and we look forward to hearing from you.