5 Car Accident Injuries That Require Surgery

Statistically, the total cost spent on medical bills after an accident increases with the severity of the injury. Bills and damages resulting from car accidents may put a significant strain on your finances.

Luckily, if you get injured in an accident through no fault of your own, you are eligible for compensation. Rockford Car Accident Lawyers offer experienced legal representation for car accident victims.

Injuries That Require Surgery

Car accidents can have catastrophic consequences on a victim’s health. While some people may walk away from a crash with minor injuries, others suffer severe injuries that require surgery and extensive care.

The five most common types of injuries which require surgery include:

  • Head and Brain Injury
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Knee Injury
  • Fractures or Broken Bones
  • Internal Organ Injury

Below, we look at each one of them.

Head and Brain Injury

Head and brain injuries are common car accident injuries that require immediate surgery. They may range from mild head injuries to traumatic brain injuries (TBI). If unchecked, head injuries can result in devastating long-term health conditions and disabilities.

The symptoms of head and brain injury may be mild and delayed due to initial trauma. Nevertheless, it is critical to get a scan done to ascertain that you are uninjured.

Spinal Cord Injury

Spinal cord injuries result from the force of the impact of a collision. The impact may misalign vertebrae and discs, which commonly results in herniated or bulging discs. You are also likely to suffer compression fractures.

A spinal cord injury usually requires surgery and physical therapy to repair and heal correctly. A surgical procedure is also crucial in preventing partial or total paralysis.  The most common symptoms of a spinal injury include pain, poor balance, and reduced strength, sensation, and muscle control.

Knee Injury

A head-on collision may lead to the front of your car collapsing on or crushing into your legs. This impact may cause your knee, a notably complex joint, to sustain serious injuries. Knee injuries could be anything from a torn ACL or a broken bone to more severe injuries that requires knee replacement surgery. 

Fractures and Broken Bones

Along with head trauma, broken bones and fractures are the most common car accident injuries. You may break your ribs, arms, wrists, legs, pelvis, ankles, or other bones in a crash.

Some of these injuries are simple breaks that may only require a cast to heal. Others, however, can be compound or severe fractures that require surgery.

Fixing fractured bones, for example, may necessitate the use of rods, metal screws, pins, or plates to hold the bone in place.

Internal Organ Injuries

A car accident may result in punctured organs, crushed lungs, internal bleeding, and other types of internal trauma. If you fail to get emergency surgery after such an injury, you may lose your life.

The type of surgery required depends on the severity and location of the injury. Minor internal organ injuries may require minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery, while severe ones may need or an extended operation lasting up to 12 hours. 

Conclusion

Injuries caused by automotive accidents can be severe and, in some cases, life-threatening. After a car accident, you ought to get immediate medical attention.

Next, seek the help of a personal injury attorney to help you create a case for your lawsuit. An experienced lawyer will get you the maximum possible compensation so you can cater to your medical bills.

Call now! (815) 965-5777

Should You Get a Lawyer for Your Car Accident in Rockford?

Being involved in a car crash in Rockford can be painful, frightening, and leave victims feeling powerless and confused about their next steps. Fortunately, an experienced car accident attorney can help ease some of these burdens by aggressively representing the injured party’s interests, whether in negotiations or the courtroom.

Factors to Consider

Generally, whether an accident victim should retain an attorney depends on a series of factors, including:

  • The specific circumstances of the accident;
  • The number of vehicles involved in the crash;
  • Whether anyone was injured;
  • Whether there was significant property damage; and
  • Whether the injured party was required to take time off from work.

For instance, minor fender benders where little damage was inflicted and no one was injured can usually be handled through the insurance companies without the aid of a lawyer. However, even in these cases, an injured party who does not have any time at

Monetary damages

his or her disposal to dedicate to the case may benefit from the guidance of an attorney. This is especially true when an accident resulted in serious injuries or significant property damage as the case may take much longer to resolve.

Collecting Compensation

Car accident victims who were injured as a result of another person’s negligence or recklessness can collect compensation for their losses, including:

  • Past and future medical expenses;
  • Lost wages;
  • Loss of future income;
  • Property damage; and
  • Pain and suffering.

However, to collect these damages, the injured party may be required to file a claim and establish the other person’s negligence. This can be difficult when one party is not clearly at fault or if both parties contributed to an accident. Illinois recognizes the legal theory of comparative negligence, which means that injured parties who contribute to their own accident can still collect compensation from the other party, although the amount they receive will be reduced by their own percentage of fault. However, if a jury determines that an injured party was more than 50 percent at fault, he or she will be barred from collecting compensation. In these cases, it is critical to have the support of an attorney who can help clearly demonstrate fault.

The situation can become further complicated if injuries were particularly serious and required hospitalization or ongoing treatment because the other party’s insurer may be reluctant to foot the bill even when their policyholder was clearly at fault. In these cases, it is especially important to have the advice of an experienced car accident attorney who can work with the insurance companies and negotiate a higher award. If the parties cannot reach an agreement, the injured party may be required to file a claim in court, where it is crucial to have legal representation, as courts tend to be very strict about filing deadlines, the submission of evidence, and other procedural requirements.

Contact us Today to Speak With an Experienced Car Accident Attorney

At Tuite Law, we understand how stressful and emotional it can be to sustain an injury in a car crash. For this reason, we dedicate ourselves to easing our clients’ burdens by aggressively representing their interests and helping them seek the compensation they deserve. If you were recently injured in a crash or suffered significant property damage, please contact us today by calling (815) 965-5777 to set up a free case evaluation with a knowledgeable and compassionate car accident attorney who can explain your legal options.