What Causes Internal Injuries in Car Accidents?

LAW BLOG  •

June 13, 2018

Car accidents can lead to serious and life-threatening injuries. Victims may have to contend with broken bones, concussions, or soft tissue injuries like whiplash. Severe car accidents can even lead to life threatening conditions like internal bleeding. What causes internal bleeding and other injuries in car accidents?

Speed Matters

Speed is one of the number one factors that determines the severity of an injury in a car accident.

Even a minor fender bender can cause injuries when a car comes to a sudden stop. Consider, for example, a low speed rear end collision. Driver A drives in front of Driver B, and Driver B fails to see Driver A slam on the brakes to allow a deer to run across the road. Driver B tries to slam on the brakes to avoid a crash, but slams into Driver A.

Thankfully, the drivers were on a low-speed road. However, the force of the impact disturbed Driver B’s momentum. His body continued to travel forward, even after his car stopped. His seat belt saved him from going through the windshield, but the sudden stop in momentum forced his head back into his seat, causing whiplash.

In a high speed collision, the aftermath can be much worse. Modern cars have important safety features like air bags and seatbelts, but they can only do so much to minimize the damage of a car accident. The force of the body recoiling and being exposed to G-forces leads to serious internal injuries following a crash. Generally speaking, the higher the speed, the more traumatic the injury – resulting from the application of external forces on the body.

What Are the Most Common Types of Internal Injuries?

Internal injuries in a car accident can run the gamut from minor internal bruising to serious damage of the internal organs and body systems. Some of the most common internal injuries in a car accident include:

  • Fractured ribs. Your ribs protect many of the body’s most important organs – heart, lungs, stomach, spleen, and more. The force of an impact can cause the airbags to go off and the seatbelt to lock, leading to fractured ribs. While painful, these safety features actually prevent much more serious injuries and death.
  • Internal bleeding. The exertion of external forces – also called blunt force trauma – can lead to damage of the blood vessels, veins, or arteries. This can cause internal bleeding, which may pose a life-threatening emergency
  • Ruptured spleen – when a blunt force trauma leads to fractured ribs, the organs inside may be vulnerable to damage. A spleen holds a lot of blood and serves as a filtration system for blood cells. A splenic rupture can lead to massive internal bleeding and require immediate removal of the organ.
  • Collapsed lung – the force of an impact can disrupt the delicate pressure surrounding your lungs, leading to a pneumothorax. Collapsed lungs represent a life-threatening emergency and require immediate medical attention.
  • Brain bleeding – lastly, the force of the head hitting an airbag, dashboard, or steering wheel can cause a dangerous brain bleed, or hematoma. Left untreated, this condition can be fatal.

Internal injuries in a car accident result from the forces at play. The higher speed of the crash, the more severe the injuries. Internal injuries in a car accident can encompass a wide variety of conditions, from fractured rubs to hematoma. These injuries may require extensive and expensive medical treatment in order to make a full recovery. Often, the only way for a victim to receive compensation for the full extent of his or her internal injuries is by filing a personal injury claim.

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