Internal Injuries

Internal organ damage is often due to blunt trauma or penetrating injuries. When striking the steering wheel in an auto accident, for example, the resulting blunt shearing force can lead to significant traumatic internal injuries. Traumatic internal abdominal damage can also occur as a result of falling, being struck in the abdomen, or by receiving a penetration wound, such as from a gunshot or a stabbing.

Internal injuries can be attained during any serious motor vehicle or workplace accident. But with the exception of damage to kidneys, which typically results in blood being found in the victims urine, internal organ damage may be difficult to identify in a timely manner. And in addition to the intrinsic damage done to any internal organs, a number of critical body functions can consequently be affected.

Some examples of how damage to certain organs commonly leads to additional health complications follow:

An accident victim with an injury to the liver may experience pain in the upper and upper right region of the abdomen, significant blood loss, a distended abdomen (due to blood loss), and/or a weak pulse. A person with a minor liver injury may be admitted to the hospital for observation only, while someone with a major liver injury is likely to require immediate surgical intervention.

Damage to the spleen as the result of blunt trauma to the abdomen may result in significant blood loss, spillage of blood into the abdominal cavity, upper left abdominal pain or burning sensation which may radiate to the left shoulder (due to blood loss), low blood pressure, and/or a weak pulse.

An injury to the stomach can result in leakage of enzymes and acids into the abdominal cavity. The stomach uses these fluids to help digest food, but in the abdominal cavity, they can cause infections. The victim may have difficulty digesting food and may experience pain in the mid and upper abdominal areas, tenderness to touch, low blood pressure, and a rapid pulse.

Injuries to the pancreas frequently occur together with other abdominal injuries. Their high mortality rate is largely attributed to a delayed diagnosis. Abdominal guarding (tensing of the abdominal muscles to protect inflamed organs) may take place along with lower blood pressure. Victims sometimes complain about pain in the mid-abdomen or back, but symptoms may take hours, or even days, to appear.

Like trauma and penetration injuries to the stomach, such injuries to the bowels (and colon) may interfere with food breakdown, the absorption of nutrients, and the excretion of waste. Waste and enzymes that leak into the abdomen can cause infections. Symptoms of injury to the bowels may include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, muscle tenderness and guarding, and shock.

Internal damage to large blood vessels may occur as a result of shearing that can be caused by the sudden acceleration/deceleration that can be experienced during motor vehicle accidents and falls. The shearing may cause tears in the large blood vessels, such as the aorta, iliac and femoral vessels, resulting in a large amount of blood loss and the need for immediate surgical intervention. Symptoms may include abdominal pain and tenderness, a distended abdomen (due to the abdominal cavity filling with blood), bruising on the abdomen, nausea, vomiting, falling blood pressure, and shock.

Internal injuries are not limited to these organs and accidents that involve any internal injuries pose a greater risk for bleeding and death. The difficulty in detecting and diagnosing such injuries further increases this risk. Any suspected internal injuries after an accident should therefore receive prompt medical attention.

If you or a loved ones injuries occurred in an accident for which someone else was even partially negligent or responsible, you may be entitled to compensation. To protect your legal rights, contact a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney.