Many motorists often worry about their risk of suffering a neck or head injury in a crash. That’s not the only thing that they should be concerned about, though.
A crush injury isn’t just an injury that individuals who work around heavy equipment have to worry about. Motorists must do so as well. This is particularly the case if they crash into a solid, inanimate object or a motorist strikes their car at a high rate of speed.
What body parts are most often affected in crush injury incidents?
The American College of Emergency Physicians analyzed cases involving crush injuries and determined that at least 74% of all crush injuries involve a person’s lower limbs. They also found that another 10% involved their upper limbs, while only 9% involved a person’s torso.
Damage caused by crush injuries extends far beyond what meets one’s eye, though. There’s a release of electrolytes and toxins when someone suffers a crush injury. The release of these into a person’s bloodstream may result in hypotension, kidney failure and the decay of the surrounding body tissue. Someone may also suffer cardiac arrest or develop a metabolic disorder if their muscles produce an overabundance of lactic acid or calcium following a crush injury.
What is the long-term prognosis crush injury patients face?
Time is of the essence when a crush injury occurs. The type of treatment that a patient also receives matters.
Intravenous fluids can reduce the chances that a patient will suffer vascular failure and improve a patient’s chances of preserving their affected limbs. Patients who don’t receive the appropriate or timely treatment may end up needing to undergo an amputation.
How to proceed if an auto accident left you with crush injuries
Any traumatic auto accident injury such as a crush one may require you to receive a higher level of care than your local hospital may be able to provide. Life-saving treatment can be costly yet critical to preserving the functionality of your injured limbs or saving your life. An attorney can advise you how Michigan law may allow you to recover the compensation you’re sure to need following your injury.
