Chest Injuries After a Gainesville Car Accident
A car accident can produce chest and thoracic injuries. These injuries can range from sore ribs to life-threatening lung or heart damage.
Consequently, your losses after a Gainesville, Florida, car crash could also vary widely. A personal injury lawyer from Allen Law Firm, P.A.. can evaluate your case and help you understand the strength and value of your claim.
Contact our Gainesville car accident attorneys at (877) 255-3652 to discuss your chest injuries and legal options. We offer a free initial consultation, so there’s no obligation or risk in reaching out for guidance.
Want to learn more about how Allen Law Firm, P.A. can help you after your car accident? Visit our FAQ page.
How Allen Law Firm, P.A. Can Help After a Car Accident in Gainesville, FL
Since its founding in 2007, Allen Law Firm, P.A. has been representing injured clients throughout Gainesville, FL. Over that time, our Gainesville car accident lawyers have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for accident victims like you.
If you were injured in an auto accident, our attorneys can help you with:
- A Free Case Review: We’ll listen to your story and assess your legal options
- Decades of Experience: We’ll deftly handle your case so you can focus on healing
- Knowledge of the Insurance Industry: We understand how insurers work
A car accident injury can leave you with pain and disabilities that prevent you from earning a living. Contact Allen Law Firm, P.A. for a free consultation to discuss your injuries and the financial compensation you can pursue for your resulting losses. We can help you with the claim process of your car accident.
How Often Do Chest Injuries Happen in Car Accidents?
Florida does not release chest injury statistics. But it does release a Crash Facts Report that states the number of accident victims injured or killed each year.
According to these statistics, car accidents, commercial motor vehicle and truck accidents, and motorcycle accidents in 2021 caused:
- 2,691 fatal injuries
- 14,593 injuries that incapacitated the victim from leaving the accident scene without help
- 67,261 visible injuries that did not stop the victim from leaving the scene
- 157,187 injuries that caused pain or other symptoms without producing a visible wound
According to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the risk of chest injuries depends on the type of crash. You are most likely to suffer a chest injury in a rollover crash, with up to a 10% chance of a minor chest injury and up to a 55% chance of a severe or fatal chest injury.
In a front-end or rear-end crash, you have up to a 16% chance of a minor chest injury and up to a 51% chance of a severe or fatal chest injury. And in a side-impact crash, you have up to an 8% chance of a minor chest injury and up to a 44% chance of a severe or fatal chest injury.
Common Chest Injuries From Car Accidents in Gainesville
Chest injuries can result from a few causes, including:
- Penetrating injuries: An object pierces the chest
- Blunt injuries: Something strikes the chest without causing an open wound
- Hyperextension injuries: The chest tissues get stretched or torn
Some common chest injuries caused by car accidents include:
Chest Bruise
Chest bruises are common car crash injuries. Your seat belt and airbag restrain your body during a collision. The impact of these restraints on your chest can burst blood vessels under the skin. Chest bruises cause discoloration, pain, and swelling. Read more about airbag injuries here.
Chest Strain
Your chest includes muscles and tendons between and over the ribs. Chest strains happen when you hyperextend these muscles or tendons.
Strains cause symptoms such as:
- Muscle pain and spasms
- Weakness
- Stiffness
- Inflammation
The recovery time from a chest strain will depend on the size of the tear. A full-thickness tear in the muscle or tendon could take a few months to heal.
Torn Cartilage
Chest cartilage connects the top ten ribs on each side of your ribcage to your sternum or each other.
When an injury tears this cartilage, you could experience:
- Pain
- Inflammation
- Limited range of motion
- Clicking in your chest
Torn cartilage heals very slowly, so it may take several months for your chest to heal.
Broken Rib
A blow to your chest can break a rib. Rib fractures cause pain and swelling. In most cases, a fractured rib will heal without any medical treatment.
The exception happens when you break three or more ribs into three or more pieces. This type of injury can create a condition called “flail chest.” This life-threatening condition may require reconstructive surgery to repair the ribs.
Cardiac Tamponade
Chest trauma can produce thoracic injuries to the vital organs protected by your ribs. A cardiac tamponade happens when the membrane protecting your heart fills with fluid. The fluid’s pressure squeezes the heart, preventing it from beating normally. Without emergency treatment, cardiac tamponade may kill you.
Collapsed Lung
A collapsed lung happens when fluid or air in your chest cavity squeezes the air out of your lung. The pressure of the fluid or air prevents the lung from re-expanding. As a result, you will struggle to breathe, and your oxygen levels will drop. This condition requires emergency treatment to prevent death or permanent lung damage.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Gainesville Car Accident Lawyers To Discuss Your Chest Injuries
A chest injury can cause life-threatening and disabling conditions. Contact Allen Law Firm, P.A. at (877) 255-3652 for a free consultation to discuss the compensation you can seek for your chest injury. We also handle cases related to other car accident injuries, such as bruises, strains and sprains, broken bones, etc.
