Internal injuries are some of the most dangerous outcomes of a car accident — and the easiest to overlook. Many people feel “fine” after a crash because adrenaline masks pain and symptoms. Hours or even days later, life-threatening complications can surface. If you were hurt in a wreck, speaking with a Las Vegas car accident lawyer can help you understand your medical risks and protect your legal rights. Recognizing the signs early protects your health and strengthens any future personal injury claim.
What Is Internal Organ Damage?
Internal organ damage refers to injury or trauma to organs inside the body, and can easily be overlooked right after a crash. Unlike cuts, bruises, or broken bones that are visible, signs of organ damage are hidden but often much more dangerous.
- External injuries involve the skin, muscles, and bones – you can generally see bruises, cuts, or swelling right away.
- Internal injuries affect organs beneath the surface.
Bleeding, swelling, or organ rupture inside the body might show no clear outward signs at first. Organs most often harmed in car accidents include:
- Liver
- Spleen
- Kidneys
- Lungs
- Intestines
- Brain
Specific injuries from internal organ damage often include:
- Internal bleeding (hemorrhage): Hidden bleeding inside the body that may gather in spaces around the organs. This can cause dangerous drops in blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and shock if not treated quickly.
- Organ bruising (contusion): Direct impact from a crash can bruise organs like the liver, spleen, or kidneys, damaging tissue and causing swelling, pain, or dysfunction without necessarily tearing the organ.
- Ruptured spleen: The spleen is highly vulnerable to crash forces. If it tears, severe internal bleeding occurs, often requiring emergency surgery to prevent life-threatening complications.
- Liver lacerations: The liver is large and situated under your right ribs, making it prone to being cut or torn during a significant impact, which leads to potentially massive internal bleeding.
- Collapsed lung (pneumothorax): Sharp trauma or rib fractures can puncture a lung so air leaks into the chest cavity, making it hard or even impossible to breathe normally and often needing prompt medical treatment.
- Intestinal perforation: The intestines may be punctured or torn open in a severe crash, causing their contents to spill into the abdomen which leads to infection and poses a severe emergency risk if not diagnosed quickly.
- Kidney trauma: Direct impact can bruise or tear a kidney, resulting in bleeding, pain in the lower back, and blood in the urine.
Internal organ damage can become life threatening if the victim doesn’t get quick medical treatment. Seeing a doctor after an accident is always the first step you should take.
How Car Accidents Cause Internal Organ Injuries
Car accidents put the body under significant force, which can be more than enough to damage one of your body’s sensitive organs. Here’s how this most often occurs:
Seatbelt Trauma
Seatbelts are important to use, as they prevent serious injuries and death. However, sometimes, the seatbelt actually causes you significant harm. In a serious crash, it can be pulled tightly across your abdomen and chest, causing bruising or damage to internal organs.
Airbag Impact
While airbags reduce the risk of death, their explosive force as they deploy can press into the chest, impacting the heart, lungs, or causing internal bleeding and bruising that might not be felt right away.
Steering Wheel Collisions
If a person is thrown against the steering wheel at high speed, the impact can directly injure internal organs or cause rib fractures that puncture or bruise tissue, which you’ll be unable to see with the naked eye.
Pedestrian and Motorcycle Crashes
Pedestrians and motorcyclists absorb all of a collision’s force directly because they have nothing protecting them the way drivers do. The result can be liver, kidney, or lung injuries.
Because these injuries aren’t always obvious, it’s important to seek medical attention as soon as possible to get checked out.
Warning Signs of Internal Organ Damage After a Wreck
Knowing what to watch for after a car accident can be incredibly helpful for anyone in an accident. Every crash victim and their loved ones should be watching out for these warning signs:
- Abdominal pain or swelling
- Chest pain or tightness
- Shortness of breath
- Dizziness or fainting
- Major bruising or deep spots of discoloration
- Fast or racing heartbeat
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blood in urine or stool
- Severe fatigue
- Weakness
- Confusion
If you experience any of these symptoms after a crash, do not ignore them – seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Symptoms That Signal a Medical Emergency
While you should always look for symptoms of internal organ damage, some signs mean you should go to the emergency room and get help right away.
Sudden Sharp Abdominal Pain
Intense stomach pain, especially if it comes on suddenly, may mean a ruptured organ or severe bleeding that requires emergency care.
Difficulty Breathing
Serious damage to the lungs, chest, or even blood pooling inside can make it hard to breathe normally. This is a red flag and could signal organ swelling or internal blood loss.
Loss of Consciousness
Passing out following a crash, even if just for a moment, can point toward shock from heavy blood loss or brain injury that needs immediate evaluation.
Low Blood Pressure
A sudden drop in blood pressure is a strong indicator of severe internal bleeding; people may feel faint, weak, or extremely clammy when this happens.
Failing to act quickly with these types of symptoms can place your health and life at serious risk.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer For Help
When you’ve suffered organ damage from a car accident, reaching out to a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer is one of the most important steps you can take. These injuries are serious and can lead to long-term expenses that you shouldn’t have to take on by yourself if someone else caused your accident.
Anytime you suffer severe injuries or you’ve having a hard time getting what you think you deserve from the insurance company, it’s helpful to reach out to a lawyer. Our team has significant experience with these types of cases and can help you build a strong claim. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.
