A crush injury occurs when something heavy presses down on your body or traps you between two solid objects. The weight can damage muscles, bones, and even internal organs. These injuries can happen in many places: at work, on construction sites, in factories, and even during natural disasters like earthquakes.
When these accidents happen, the pain can be intense, breathing might be challenging, and the body might feel completely numb in some places. While you focus on trying to recover from the accident, you can hire a crush injury attorney who can take on the legal aspect of holding the responsible party liable for your injuries. Before that, you should know clearly about the long-term effects of crush injuries.
Possible Long-Term Effects of a Crush Injury
If you’ve been a victim of a crush injury, it would be best if you are well aware of the possible long-term consequences. Different types of injuries have different long-term consequences.
They include:
1. Head and Brain Injuries
It doesn’t take a medical degree to know that a blow to the head is a fatal injury. You might experience a concussion, or traumatic brain injury (TBI), which can mess with your memory and thinking. You might find yourself forgetting things that just happened or struggling to focus on simple tasks.
And if the fall is severe enough, you may get a fracture on your skull. Skull fractures are serious and can affect how your brain works. You could end up dealing with lasting issues like chronic headaches, difficulty concentrating, or even severe mood changes.
2. Spinal Cord Injuries
After a crush injury, your spine could take the brunt of the impact, and that could lead to something like partial or even complete paralysis. In any case, you lose the ability to move parts of your body, either from the waist down or sometimes more, depending on where the damage is.
Even if it’s not as extreme as paralysis, your spine might still get hurt, leaving you with persistent pain or, worse, numbness in your back or legs. Spinal cord injury might not show up right away. You may not notice how much damage has been done for a few hours or days.
3. Broken Bones
Your arms, legs, or hips are vulnerable to fractures when you get hit by a heavy solid object. Sometimes, bones need to be set in surgery and the whole healing time afterward. You could spend weeks, maybe even months, in a cast or brace. And all the while, you’re dealing with pain, discomfort, and the frustration of not being able to move like you used to.
Depending on the bone that’s broken, it might affect your ability to walk, drive, or even do simple things like lifting your groceries. You might also have to undergo physical therapy. You’d have to go through a lot to regain strength and mobility.
4. Internal Injuries
The impact of a crush injury could cause internal injuries, and you might not realize how serious things are at first. You could suffer from internal bleeding inside your body that’s not visible from the outside. Depending on where it is, it could be in your abdomen or chest, and you might not even feel it right away.
Sometimes, your organs could get damaged, which is even scarier. Something like a punctured lung or a ruptured spleen is a very critical injury that requires immediate attention, and without the proper medical care, it can quickly become life-threatening.
Conclusion
The long-term effects of a crush injury can be both physically and emotionally devastating. Victims may face chronic pain, permanent disability, psychological trauma, and significant medical expenses for the rest of their lives.
If you or someone you know has sustained a crush injury, seeking legal advice and support is crucial to ensuring that the victim’s rights are protected and that they receive the compensation they deserve.
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