Car accidents in Nevada happen every day, and chest injuries are a common result—especially in high-impact crashes on busy Las Vegas roads. Understanding how these injuries occur and the signs to watch for can help you communicate better with doctors, insurance companies, and if needed, a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer.
How Car Accidents Cause Chest Injuries
Car accidents often lead to chest injuries because the chest is close to many parts inside a car that can cause harm when sudden force happens. The way your body moves during a crash and the safety features meant to protect you can still result in pain or damage.
Seatbelt Tension During Sudden Stops
When a car stops without warning, seatbelts lock in place to secure you. Sometimes they pull across your chest so hard that they leave bruises, cracked ribs, or even strain the muscles in your chest.
Airbag Deployment
Airbags are an important safety feature in cars, but that doesn’t mean they come without risks. They deploy with significant force and speed, slamming into the chest in many instances. This can lead to serious injuries.
Steering Wheel Impact
Even when a driver is wearing a seat belt, their chest may hit the steering wheel during an accident. This can cause bruises, broken ribs, and other injuries inside the chest.
Flying Debris and Side Impact
Flying debris such as metal parts or glass can hit your chest. Additionally, when the car is hit from the side, the space where you sit can crush inward, squeezing or cutting into your body.
Chest injuries can be quite severe. If you’ve experienced an accident and believe you’re dealing with one, make sure you get medical help right away.
Types of Chest Injuries After a Car Accident
After a car accident, chest injuries come in different forms and levels of seriousness. Some common ones include:
Soft Tissue Chest Injuries
Soft tissue covers muscles, ligaments, and tendons in your chest. In a crash, these areas can become badly bruised, swollen, or torn.
Bone Injuries
Ribs are the most common bones hurt by car collisions. Cracked, fractured, or fully broken ribs can make even simple breathing extremely painful. The breastbone, or sternum, can also break when too much force hits directly.
Internal Organ Injuries
The chest protects the heart, lungs, and big blood vessels. A strong crash can harm these as well. Bruised lungs, collapsed lungs (pneumothorax), or heart bruising (cardiac contusion) may not be obvious right away, but are very serious conditions.
Respiratory Complications
Sometimes chest injuries create breathing problems. If swelling, collapsed parts of the lung, or blood loss happens, it may be tough to catch your breath or get enough oxygen.
If you feel any sort of discomfort in your chest after a car crash, don’t brush it off – seek medical help right away.
Damages You Can Recover After Chest Injuries
If you suffered a chest injury in a car accident, you may face bills and losses beyond what is visible at first. Nevada law allows victims to obtain monetary compensation to make up for these losses. Some common types you could be entitled to include:
- Medical expenses for things like emergency room bills, hospital stays, and surgeries
- Diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CT scans, and MRIs
- Physical therapy or respiratory therapy costs
- Property damage if your car or other items were damaged
- Lost wages and reduced ability to work in the future
- Pain and suffering damages for the physical and emotional impact the injury has on your life Compensation for permanent disability or impairment
- Expenses for ongoing or long-term medical care
These costs can escalate fast. If someone else caused the accident, a Las Vegas car accident lawyer can help you understand your rights and pursue fair compensation. Contact us today to speak with an attorney.
