After a car crash, victims often focus on fractures, lacerations and other wounds they can feel and see. Secondary injuries, which can take days, weeks or even months to become apparent, may often get overlooked.
In this blog, Schmidt Kramer discusses the types of secondary injuries victims could suffer, including how they often occur. We also discuss when these injuries could be serious and how victims may be eligible to recover compensation for their medical costs and other damages.
If you were injured in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence, our Harrisburg car accident attorneys may be able to help you recover compensation. With more than 30 years of experience, our firm has successfully recovered more than $100 million for our clients.
We do not charge upfront fees, and you are not obligated to hire us after discussing the details of your case.
Schedule your free consultation today: (717) 510-1782.
What Are Secondary Injuries?
Secondary injuries may result from a primary injury sustained during a car accident. Sometimes, these injuries can become more evident in the days or weeks that follow.
For example, minor leg injuries such as a muscle tear or ankle sprain can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when blood clots form in your body’s deep veins. Most often, these clots are prone to form in the legs.
Types of Secondary Injuries
Secondary injuries can vary widely depending on the nature of the initial injury and the victim’s overall health. Common types of secondary injuries include:
Infections
Open wounds or surgical sites can cause infections, such as cellulitis, sepsis or abscesses, to develop. These infections are serious and can pose life-threatening health complications if not properly treated.
Blood Clots
Fractures, internal bleeding and organ damage increase the risk of blood clots. Depending on the injury, blood clots can travel to vital organs and cause life-threatening conditions, such as a pulmonary embolism.
Chronic Pain
Untreated or improperly treated injuries can result in chronic pain, such as complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)–a symptom that usually affects a limb. CRPS can cause swelling, skin color and temperature changes, and hypersensitivity in the affected area.
Mental Health Issues
Accident trauma and recovery often cause victims to suffer from anxiety, depression or PTSD. These mental health issues can severely affect your work, social life, relationships and overall well-being.
How Do Secondary Injuries Occur?
Secondary injuries occur in many ways. In addition to resulting from complications of other initial car crash injuries, they can also result from how your body responds to injury. Secondary complications can severely impact your quality of life, making it difficult to work, sleep or engage in everyday activities.
Other ways secondary injuries may occur include:
Complications During Recovery
Some car crash victims may have to be on bed rest to recover. Being bedridden can result in secondary injuries like joint stiffness and circulatory problems.
Inadequate Treatment
Failure to seek timely and adequate medical care can result in minor injuries becoming more severe. For example, a minor cut that goes untreated could develop an infection.
Re-injury
Returning to normal activities too soon after a crash can aggravate your initial injury, causing further damage and secondary injuries. For example, if a car crash victim feels pressured to go back to work before fully recovering, they might strain their arm more, making it worse.
Delayed Symptoms
Some injuries may not reveal symptoms right away. After a car crash, pain from a rib fracture could get worse over time. In this situation, a rib fracture could result in a punctured lung. Since these fractures make it harder to breathe, there is also a possibility that it could lead to pneumonia.
What Are the Dangers of Secondary Brain Injuries?
Victims may develop complications like swelling or internal bleeding from concussions or other head injuries. Secondary brain injury symptoms, such as swelling or internal bleeding, could go undetected because damages may not be visible. Injuries like this need critical and immediate medical care, but they are typically only found through diagnostic testing, as an MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) or a CT scan (Computed Tomography).
If secondary brain injuries go undetected, serious complications may develop, such as:
- Severe memory loss
- Seizures
- Permanent disability
- Loss of sensation in limbs
- Paralysis
- Strokes
- Death
Victims need to know that some secondary injuries may not be visible or physically noticeable. It is essential to seek medical treatment immediately to rule out severe medical conditions. If you have underlying conditions, diagnostic tests can help to reveal them so you can get the treatment you need more quickly.
Can I File a Claim for My Secondary Injuries?
Yes, you can file a claim for compensation for your secondary injuries resulting from a car accident.
In Pennsylvania law, you are entitled to seek damages for all injuries related to the accident, including secondary injuries that manifest later. However, victims should have evidence such as medical records, treatment plans and expert testimonies to support their claims for secondary injuries.
Since Pennsylvania is a no-fault state, you can seek compensation from your insurance company. However, the claims process is not straightforward, as insurance companies may try to get you to take a lower amount of compensation.
Seeking advice from an experienced personal injury lawyer is a good idea. He or she can help you navigate the complicated legal process and protect your interests.
At Schmidt Kramer, our lawyers can gather the necessary evidence and negotiate with insurance companies. We are deeply committed to doing all we can to ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses.
Suffering From Secondary Injuries? Call Schmidt Kramer for Legal Help
If you are experiencing secondary injuries from a Harrisburg auto accident, we strongly recommend you seek professional legal assistance.
At Schmidt Kramer, we are prepared to protect your rights and fight for the full and fair compensation you deserve. We want you to be able to focus on healing.
We are available to support you 24/7 and will not charge you any upfront fees for our services.
Call today to discuss your potential case: (717) 510-1782.