Suffering a chest injury in an accident can be both physically painful and financially overwhelming. These injuries often affect vital organs, making recovery serious—and sometimes life-threatening. In addition to the medical challenges, you may face time away from work, costly treatments, and uncertainty about how to move forward.
Below, you’ll learn more about the different types of chest injuries and how they can occur, as well as how a personal injury claim could help you recover your losses.
Common Types Of Chest Injuries
There are numerous kinds of chest injuries you can sustain, but the following are generally the most common:
Rib Fractures
Our ribs are relatively fragile bones, so it doesn’t take a significant amount of force to fracture them. For example, during a collision, the force of being thrown against different parts of your car, or even the deployment of an airbag, can lead to stress fractures and more serious breaks.
In the most severe accidents, you can suffer what is called a flail chest, a medical emergency that arises upon sustaining multiple rib fractures at once. It makes it impossible for that part of your chest to remain expanded and could, therefore, have severe consequences, including not being able to fill your lungs with air.
Breastbone Break
Another bone that can break is your breastbone. Also known as a sternal fracture, it can result in breathing difficulties and serious pain. It’s also not a simple break to treat because of the awkward positioning, which means you could be unable to perform many otherwise simple daily tasks as you recover.
Myocardial Contusions
Beyond fractures, you can bruise your heart muscle in an accident. A broken sternum can cause these injuries, but direct trauma to the chest is their most common cause. They can be mild enough to cause only a bit of pain, or so serious that they cause your heart to malfunction.
Cardiac Tamponade
Some accidents can cause blood to collect around your heart, putting pressure on its muscles and preventing it from functioning as it needs to. It won’t be able to pump efficiently, which can quickly lead to other organs not receiving blood. As such, a cardiac tamponade is a life-threatening condition that requires immediate medical care.
Pneumothorax
If air leaks into the space between a lung and the chest wall, the lung can collapse, and it won’t have enough space to re-inflate thereafter. A rapid response is critical in these situations.
What Causes Chest Injuries?
Vehicular accidents are arguably the most common cause of chest injuries, especially those involving high speeds or large trucks, but falls can result in chest injuries, as can workplace accidents.
Medical errors can also result in chest injuries. Patients who aren’t secured correctly during a surgery, for instance, could fall off the operating table, and surgeons could cut blood vessels by mistake, resulting in collapsed lungs.
What Are The Possible Long-Term Effects Of Chest Injuries?
Chest injuries can lead to a wide range of long-term effects, depending on the severity and specific type of injury sustained. These can include:
- Chronic Pain: Persistent pain in the chest wall, ribs, or sternum can significantly impact daily life, making activities like breathing, coughing, or even moving difficult. This pain can last for months or even years after the initial injury.
- Respiratory Issues: Injuries affecting the lungs, such as pneumothorax or lung contusions, can lead to chronic breathing difficulties.
- Cardiovascular Complications: Myocardial contusions or cardiac tamponade can result in long-term heart problems, including arrhythmias, heart failure, or the need for ongoing cardiac monitoring and medication.
- Reduced Mobility and Strength: Fractured ribs or sternum can restrict movement of the upper body, leading to muscle weakness and reduced range of motion. This can impact work, hobbies, and personal care.
- Psychological Impact: Living with chronic pain, limited mobility, and the fear of future health complications can lead to anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Getting immediate treatment for a chest injury after an accident is crucial.
Contact Anderson Injury Lawyers For A Free Consultation With A Dallas Personal Injury Lawyer
If you suffered a chest injury in an accident, you may be facing a long recovery, steep medical bills, and lasting health complications. At Anderson Injury Lawyers, we’re here to help you seek the compensation you need to move forward. Contact our office today to schedule your free consultation with one of our Dallas personal injury lawyers.