There are many types of injuries that can result from car crashes. You may have anticipated a broken bone, whiplash, or even a head injury, but you may not have known about compartment syndrome until it happened to you.
What Is Compartment Syndrome?
A compartment is defined as a grouping of muscles, nerves, and blood vessels in an arm or a leg. Compartment syndrome occurs when there is swelling or bleeding within a compartment that creates pressure in your muscles. The pressure can rise to a level that causes significant pain and potential damage. Blood flow to the muscles and nerves is impacted and your muscles and nerves may not receive enough oxygen. As a result you might experience:
- Pain
- Nerve damage
- Muscle damage
- Tissue death
- Permanent disability
Immediate medical treatment can help prevent permanent damage. Accordingly, it is important to be aware of the potential for compartment syndrome if you suffer one or more of the following injuries in an auto accident:
- A badly bruised muscle
- A broken bone
- A crush injury
Symptoms that one of these injuries may have caused you to develop compartment syndrome include:
- Significant pain
- A burning or tingling sensation on the skin
- Tight muscles that are difficult or painful to stretch
- Numbness or paralysis.
It is important to get immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms of acute compartment syndrome following a car crash. If acute compartment syndrome is suspected, the doctor will insert a needle into your muscle. The needle will be attached to a pressure meter so that the doctor can get a reading of the pressure in your muscle.
Following a diagnosis, treatment for acute compartment syndrome will include surgery. Currently, there are no effective non-surgical options to treat this condition. The surgery to treat acute compartment syndrome is known as a fasciotomy. The surgeon will make an incision through the skin and the fascia, or the tough membrane that keeps the underlying tissues in the right place. Without surgery, the fascia cannot expand and allow the muscles to expand. However, with surgery, the pressure in the muscles can be relieved by allowing the muscles to swell. In some cases, it may be impossible to close up the incision site immediately due to the swelling and that will need to be done later.
Get a Fair Recovery if You Suffer Compartment Syndrome After a Car Crash
Your costs can add up quickly. In addition to any other medical costs you may have incurred from your accident, you will require surgery. You will miss time from work. You may suffer a permanent injury, or in the most serious of cases, an amputation.
You may be able to make a fair financial recovery for all of your car accident damages, but that recovery will not come automatically. Instead, the insurance company that is responsible for paying for your accident injuries may try to get you to accept a low settlement. You can protect your right to a full recovery by gathering evidence to prove that the other driver caused your car accident and your resulting injury. This evidence may include:
- The police report from the accident
- Photographs or video from the accident scene
- Witness testimony
- Medical records
Our experienced Louisville car accident lawyers and our staff nurse will review all of the evidence in your case, explain your legal rights, and provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about what to do next. If you hire us, we will fight for your fair and just recovery of past, current, and future:
- Medical expenses
- Lost income
- Out-of-pocket costs
- Physical pain
- Emotional suffering
- Any other damages that resulted from the car crash
Start learning more about your rights and possible recovery right now by contacting us via this website or by phone at any time to schedule your free initial consultation.
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