Hemoptysis After a Car Accident

One of the scariest things that can happen to a person is coughing up blood. It is one of the most obvious signs that something is wrong in the body. What’s even scarier is that you may not know why it’s happening.

Hemoptysis is a condition where you cough up blood from the trachea or the airways of the lungs. You may suffer from hemoptysis if you also experience chest pain, a shortness of breath, or a fever in addition to having blood-streaked mucus.

Hemoptysis can happen when you suffer from serious conditions like congestive heart failure, bronchitis, and pneumonia. It can also happen after you have experienced chest trauma.

Chest trauma from car accidents

Your chest is the most vulnerable body part in a car accident. It can suffer trauma from the steering wheel, a deployed airbag, or the dashboard. Your chest can experience trauma when something penetrates it or it collides with an object.

Chest trauma can result in serious injuries like broken ribs and collapsed lungs. When you cough up blood, it can be an indication that you experienced more serious injuries, like a pulmonary contusion or embolism.

• Pulmonary contusion. A pulmonary contusion happens when blunt chest trauma causes bruising to your lungs. You can experience this injury when you have slammed into the car’s steering wheel. Some of the symptoms include slowed breathing, coughing, difficulty breathing, and blood clotting.
• Pulmonary embolism. An even more life-threatening injury includes pulmonary embolism, where one or more of the lung’s arteries are blocked by a blood clot. This condition is caused when blood clots travel to the lungs from the deep veins in the legs. The blood clots prevent blood from flowing to the lungs, increasing the chances of death. Some of the symptoms include chest pain similar to that of a heart attack, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood. You may also experience swelling or leg pain.

The survival rate from a pulmonary embolism is low. One-third of people with an undiagnosed or untreated pulmonary embolism do not survive. If untreated for too long, it can lead to pulmonary hypertension.

This condition happens when the blood pressure in the lungs and the right side of the heart is too high. Because of the lack of blood, the heart has to pump that much harder to increase the blood pressure.

Coughing up blood can be a sign of internal bleeding

Another serious health condition that causes you to cough up blood is internal bleeding, or hemorrhaging. Internal bleeding is caused by ruptured blood vessels. If the damage is minor, your blood will clot to stop the bleed. If the damage is substantial, however, and the bleeding is left uncontrolled, it “might lead to organ failure, seizures, coma, external bleeding, and eventually death. Even with treatment, severe internal bleeding is often fatal.” Some of the symptoms include large bruises, skin discoloration, lightheadedness, and an intense pain or swelling in the affected body part. Internal hemorrhaging often doesn’t show immediate symptoms.

Seeking compensation for your injuries

Chest trauma and internal bleeding both warrant immediate medical help. You may need to use medical devices like breathing tubes to clear your airways. Depending on the severity of the bleeding your physicians may be able to figure out the cause of your condition as they’re treating you, or you may be in for a lengthy hospital stay. These medications and procedures can become quite expensive.

One way that you can secure the financial compensation that you need is by filing a claim for your injuries. If you suffered chest trauma after being involved in a car accident, the other driver should compensate you for your injuries. Chest trauma can cause you to suffer permanent, lifelong injuries. Dealing with these lifelong injuries will affect your ability to work and make a living.

When you file your claim, there will be a time where you must negotiate your compensation with the insurance company. Insurance companies may downplay the severity of your injuries or attempt to deny your claim, but our personal injury attorneys can help. We demonstrate the following factors:

• The likelihood of recovery. Health conditions that cause you to cough up blood are considered life-threatening. If these conditions go untreated for too long, it can cause you to experience permanent disabilities. When your injuries are permanent, you are entitled to greater amounts of compensation.
• Liability. Your case has a better chance of a successful outcome if you can prove the other driver’s liability and that their negligence and actions led to your injuries.
• The severity of your injuries. Your chest trauma is not as minimal as the insurance companies want you to believe. It can lead to health conditions that can cause permanent injuries for you. The more severe your injuries, the more compensation you may be entitled to receive.

If negotiations fail, or if the insurance company refuses to offer you a fair settlement, then it may be time to take your case to a jury. Price, Petho & Associates prepares every case for a trial so that we are always ready to do what is best for you.

Contact a dedicated attorney if you’ve suffered chest trauma in a car accident

When you have suffered chest trauma from a car accident that wasn’t your fault, speak with a Charlotte car accident lawyer at Price, Petho, & Associates. Our attorneys know how traumatizing a car accident can be for you and your family. Call our office at 704-372-2160, or submit our contact form today for a free consultation. We represent clients in Charlotte, Rutherfordton, and Rockingham.