In the United States, especially Florida, car accidents are one of the leading causes of serious and fatal injuries.
One of the areas of the body that is most vulnerable during a car accident is the chest. Many accident lawyers report that they have seen even minor car accident victims with painful chest injuries.
Why Chest Injuries are Common in Car Accidents
According to medical professionals, a chest injury during a car accident is not an unusual event. It is the positioning of the person in the car that makes him or her vulnerable to chest impacts. The driver is close to the steering wheel while front passengers are close to the dashboard. Therefore, when the impact occurs, the person is usually thrown forward and the chest area can come into hard contact with the steering, dashboard, seat belts or shoulder harnesses.
Causes of Chest Pain after a Car Accident
After a car accident, it is usually necessary to seek medical help. A medical professional will be able to assess you for injuries and eliminate your concerns. If you have not consulted a doctor because you felt alright immediately after the accident but are now experiencing a chest pain, the following can be the causes of it:
Bruised Ribs
The impact during a car accident can leave your ribs and sternum exposed to direct force. Therefore, a bruising to these areas of the body is quite common. The bruising can cause dull and aching pains. The pains may come and go depending on your movements.
Fractured Ribs
Broken ribs can cause a lot of discomfort. They are associated with sharp and shooting pains. The ribs can be broken because you were restricted by the seatbelt or hit the steering wheel during the accident.
Muscle Strain
A less dangerous cause of chest pains after a car accident is due to a strain on the muscles of the chest. The muscles can become tense due to the jerks and sudden movements you may have experienced during the accident.
Chest Pain due to Internal Organ Injuries
Chest pains after an accident may also be the result of an injury to an internal organ. The most common injured internal organ that can cause pain is the heart.
If you are experiencing dull chest pains that are intermittent or causing discomfort, you should consult a doctor immediately. Many people don’t want to go to the hospital to get checked out after an accident happens because they aren’t in pain immediately. It is possible that due to adrenaline, you may not feel pain in that very moment. However, you may start feeling the brunt of your injuries after a while.
Apart from chest pains, if you are experiencing fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath or dizziness, you could have sustained an injury to the internal organs. The earlier you consult a doctor, the better. A thorough checkup can identify any injuries that need attention and your earlier diagnosis can improve your prognosis.
If you have any confusion regarding your rights after a car accident or if you want to file a complaint against anyone for the accident, contact Tampa personal injury lawyer, The Law Office of Michael Herron, for a free evaluation.
You are welcome to call us for a free consultation regarding your case.
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Reference Links
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-causes-chest-pain-after-car-accidents-michael-waks
http://www.theinjurylawyers.com/chest-pain-after-a-car-accident/
