Question 1

What type of internal injury do you have?

Accepted Answer

The two main types of internal damage are classified by how the injury was caused, and the impact it has had on the external parts of your body. Both types are incredibly dangerous and should be taken very seriously. If you believe you have suffered internal damages, seek medical help immediately.

Blunt: Blunt force trauma, the first kind of internal damage, happens when your body collides with an object. For example, in head-on auto collisions, drivers are often thrown against their steering wheels. While something as dull as a steering wheel will not cut your skin, it can fracture a rib, which can go on to puncture a lung. Meanwhile, the only noticeable wound could be some bruising on your chest.

This is why you should seek medical assistance as soon as you can after a car accident. Shock and adrenalin may dull the pain for several hours, making it difficult for you to notice all of your injuries right away.

Penetrating: As the name implies, penetrating internal damage is when an object cuts into your body, passing through outer layers of skin and muscle into organs and bone. These types of injuries are common when someone slips and falls onto a sharp object, as well as when surgeons make a mistake during surgery by cutting into the wrong section of the body. Penetrating wounds are more obvious than blunt ones because they involve damage to the outside of the body as well.

Question 2

What type of organ and internal damage?

Accepted Answer

Whether your internal injury is due to blunt or penetrating trauma, many critical areas in the body can be damaged. Some of these areas may heal with minimal medical assistance, but others can be fatal if not treated immediately. If you suspect any sort of internal trauma or organ damage, you should go to the hospital immediately. The worst thing you can do is ignore your symptoms.

Liver damage: Due to its location in the abdomen, the liver is one of the most commonly damaged organs when it comes to internal trauma. Bones are not near the liver to provide protection, so it often takes the brunt of any impact to that section of the body. Thankfully, the liver has an incredible ability to regrow if it becomes damaged. However, you will likely still need medical treatment to heal fully.

Internal bleeding: Bleeding internally is often a side effect of internal damage. Blood vessels twist and rip, causing blood to pour into your body. Hemorrhaging, a serious case of internal bleeding, is one of the leading causes of death worldwide.

Punctured lungs: Your lungs are surrounded by protective bones known as the ribcage. Ribs help keep your lungs from becoming injured, letting them work properly even when the rest of your body has been severely injured. Unfortunately, when a rib is fractured or broken, lungs can be punctured, causing catastrophic damage and making it difficult to breathe.

Ruptured diaphragm: The diaphragm is the muscle under your lungs that helps regulate your breathing. Without it, breathing can become incredibly difficult; so, suffering a rupture can lead to severe complications.

Heart damage: As you know, your heart is an incredibly important organ. Like your lungs, your heart rests beneath your ribcage, providing it an extra layer of protection. However, internal damage can lead to your heart becoming bruised, or even a tearing of your aorta, which will then cause blood to be pumped into your chest.

Kidney damage: Similar to the liver, your kidneys are fairly unprotected. They sit slightly below the ribcage, and take on almost all of the force when something collides with your upper abdomen. Kidney damage is common in auto accidents and can result in intense pain, nausea, and fainting.

Question 3

Consequences of internal injuries – what can happen?

Accepted Answer

Internal injuries almost always require a long recovery to heal properly. Our organs are working constantly, and so they are not able to shut off the way we can stop using another muscle or bone when we’ve strained or broken it. Internal damage may require surgery to first find where the damage is and then fix it. These two factors combined mean that internal injuries will leave you with high medical bills, require you to take time off from work – thus losing wages – and result in incredible pain.

After an internal injury, you may not be able to enjoy the daily activities you once did, such as playing with your children, cooking for your family, or even just taking a stroll outside on a sunny day. Worst of all, for more serious types of internal injury, you may never fully recover and will have to take extra precautions for the rest of your life. For example, if your lung is so badly torn by a broken rib that doctors are unable to fix it, then you may be left unable to exercise or exert yourself. In some cases, your breathing can become labored even when you aren’t exerting at all.

Internal injuries can even cause death, especially if you are unaware you were seriously hurt, and did not seek medical treatment immediately. No family wants to lose a loved one, and no one wants to live the rest of their life in extreme pain.

Virginia internal organ injury attorneys

Helping you find a path forward after organ damage in Virginia

How your organs can become damaged

What type of internal injury do you have?

What type of organ and internal damage?

Consequences of internal injuries – what can happen?

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