Blunt force trauma is among the most catastrophic injuries resulting from car accidents. According to ScienceDirect, trauma is by far the most important preventable cause of death, making up around one in four deaths from motor vehicle accidents.
Interestingly, the National Institutes of Health found that trauma is the sixth leading cause of death worldwide. In accident victims under 35, it’s the leading cause of death. Protecting yourself behind the wheel and creating safer roads for all means understanding blunt force trauma, the type of injuries that result from it, and what you can do if you experience traumatic injuries from car accidents.
If you’ve suffered a serious injury in a crash, consulting an experienced Austin car accident lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and seek compensation.
Key Takeaways
Blunt force trauma occurs when the body experiences a non-penetrating injury from a substantial force, such as being thrown forward in a car accident.
Four categories of blunt force trauma exist, including fractures, lacerations, contusions, and abrasions.
These injuries may occur anywhere on the body as a result of being jolted or shaken because of the blunt force impact of car accidents. However, blunt force impacts to the head are considered to be among the most serious due to the risk of traumatic brain injuries.
Symptoms of blunt force trauma may include but are not limited to pain at the impact site, abdominal pain, nausea, and personality changes.
Some symptoms of blunt force injuries may not arise until weeks after the initial accident, such as with concussion.
You have the legal right to claim compensation if you received blunt force injuries from an auto accident that wasn’t your fault. Speak to a lawyer to learn more about whether you have a case.
What is Blunt Force Trauma?
Blunt force trauma is when the body experiences injury from an impactful force, such as a fall, car accident, or assault. These injuries are non-penetrating, meaning nothing penetrates the skin to create open wounds. Typically, blunt trauma comes from forces such as acceleration, deceleration, and pressure.
The National Institutes of Health details the four categories of blunt force trauma:
Contusions – Contusions are the technical term for bruises. You’ll notice bruising if a force results in small blood vessels bursting near the surface of the skin, which is why bruises can be red, purple, black, and blue.
Abrasions – Abrasions occur when skin is rubbed off by another surface. For example, your seat belt might cut into you, resulting in significant grazes along your shoulder and torso.
Lacerations – Lacerations tear the skin, leading to jagged and uneven wounds. Most laceration injuries occur in car accidents due to flying debris, such as broken glass.
Fractures – Fractures are usually broken bones. Bones may be partially broken or completely broken.
Accident victims can experience any of the above four categories of blunt trauma when involved in car accidents, falls, and sporting activities.
Blunt Force Trauma vs. Penetrating Trauma
Blunt force trauma is a non-penetrating injury. In contrast, penetrating trauma means an object pierces the skin and enters the body. Injuries resulting from penetrating trauma depend on the amount of force transferred from the object and into the body’s tissues. By far, the majority of penetrating trauma cases result from stabbings and gunshots.
Car accidents can cause concussions, blunt force, and penetrating trauma, depending on the circumstances.
For example, a whiplash injury caused by the sudden whipping of the head and neck is a type of blunt force trauma. On the other hand, if a sharp piece of debris flies through the windscreen and embeds itself in your arm, this would be a type of penetrating trauma.
How Do Blunt Force Trauma Injuries Occur?
Blunt force trauma in car accidents occurs when a vehicle is forced to stop suddenly because it collides with another vehicle or an inanimate object. When a moving object stops, everyone in the car experiences sudden deceleration, so drivers and passengers may collide with hard surfaces.
Airbags have been designed to mitigate blunt force injuries, with Consumer Reports reporting that in the last 50 years, airbags have saved an estimated 50,000 lives. However, even the deployment of airbags could still cause blunt force injuries because of the force ejected when they inflate.
However, you don’t have to be just in a car to experience blunt-force injuries. Pedestrians and cyclists struck by vehicles also experience the same injuries from the impact. The difference is they usually don’t have any protection, which increases the risk of catastrophic injuries.
What are the Common Scenarios Where Blunt Force Trauma Would Occur in a Car Accident?
Blunt force trauma can occur in any type of car accident, including frontal collisions, side-impact motor vehicle crashes, and fender-benders. The type of injury and severity is determined by a range of factors, including how much force is involved in the impact. Likewise, the impact areas will differ based on the crash type.
Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common scenarios resulting in blunt trauma:
Frontal Collisions – Head-on impacts resulted in 59% of passenger vehicle deaths in 2022, per the IIHS. In these collisions, occupants are thrown forward, hitting the steering wheel, dashboard, or windscreen.
T-Bone Crashes – Side-impact collisions force occupants into the door or window, with the sudden jolt causing internal injuries.
Fender-Bender Impacts – In a fender-bender, occupants are thrown forward, with the most common injury being whiplash due to the neck snapping forward and backward.
Rollovers – When a vehicle rolls over, these injuries occur because occupants are thrown around, resulting in them hitting multiple surfaces. Being ejected from the vehicle is also a potential result.
Pedestrian Accidents – Pedestrians have no protection from vehicle impacts, with most blunt force injuries involving a primary impact hitting the legs and the secondary impact being the hood, windscreen, or ground.
All types of collisions can result in serious traumatic injuries. However, you’ve got a higher chance of survival in low-speed collisions because there’s less force in the initial impact.
What are the Effects of Blunt Force Trauma on the Head?
Blunt force trauma to the head can lead to traumatic brain injuries. According to The American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, over a million people are diagnosed with a TBI every year, with car accidents resulting in one-third of trauma deaths. Blunt force trauma to the head may result in brain damage, with internal bleeding worsening the injuries.
Two types of blunt-force head injury exist:
Concussions – If you have a concussion, the brain is shaken around the skull, disrupting normal brain function.
Contusions – A contusion is a direct injury to the brain, usually because the brain hits the inside of your skull.
It’s also important to mention that the types of brain injury you might suffer differ. A contrecoup brain injury occurs on the opposite side of the brain where the initial impact occurred. Some patients may also report a coup contrecoup brain injury, where damage occurs to both sides of the brain.
Blunt force trauma symptoms may surface immediately, such as if you’re knocked unconscious, or may take weeks to appear. Interestingly, some people suffer from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), where symptoms might not appear for a decade.
Some of the symptoms of car crash brain injuries include:
Confusion
Loss of consciousness
Sudden decrease in blood pressure
Headaches
Vomiting
Slurred speech
Paralysis
Loss of coordination
Convulsions
Confusion
Personality changes
In the worst-case scenario, blunt force head trauma may result in an accident victim going into a coma or losing some of their senses, like vision, taste, or smell. Unfortunately, they can also lead to death, with TreatNOW reporting that car accidents are the leading cause of death from traumatic brain injuries in children and young adults.
Can Blunt Force Trauma Injuries Be Fatal?
Blunt force trauma injuries can be fatal, especially when head injuries or severe blood loss occur. Despite being non-penetrating, high-volume blood loss happens because of internal injuries. In many cases, accident victims are unaware that they’re bleeding or have a traumatic brain injury until it’s too late.
Delaying treatment for internal injuries can result in complications that could cost you your life, including:
Infection
Shock
Multi-organ failure
According to the USC Center for Health Journalism, every year, 31,000 Americans die because of preventable bleeding. A significant number of these blunt-force trauma patients die in the days and weeks after car accidents. It’s resulted in medical experts calling it a health crisis.
That’s why always seeking immediate medical attention after a car accident is critical, even if you feel completely fine.
Symptoms and Warnings of Blunt Force Trauma
Blunt force trauma often visibly manifests itself in the form of bruising, swelling, and pain. Depending on where your injury is, you may experience difficulty breathing, vomiting, and pale or clammy skin. Sometimes, mental conditions, such as confusion, can also provide an early warning that you’ve sustained one of these injuries.
Let’s go into both early symptoms and some of the delayed onset symptoms warranting a trip to your nearest emergency room.
Common Early Symptoms
Pain around the impact site
Swelling
Bruising
Breathing difficulties
Chest pain
Abdominal pain
Dizziness
Loss of consciousness
Confusion
Nausea
Vomiting
Pale skin
Clammy skin
Delayed Onset Symptoms
Sleeping difficulties
Memory loss
Light sensitivity
Sound sensitivity
Personality changes
Irritation
Blurred vision
Dizziness
Nausea
Pain in the shoulders, back, or neck
Chronic headaches
Fatigue
Abdominal bruising
Muscle stiffness
Numbness
Non-healing bruises
Changes in skin color
Why Don’t Blunt Force Trauma Injuries Appear Immediately?
Various reasons exist as to why you may not experience any symptoms immediately. Adrenaline is the main culprit, but many types of injuries don’t manifest for some time. In some cases, such as whiplash, you might have to wait weeks.
It’s also worth mentioning that serious blunt-force injuries may cause mental trauma, such as anxiety, depression, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Only after some time has passed may you begin experiencing symptoms.
How is Blunt Force Trauma Diagnosed?
Blunt force trauma is primarily diagnosed by performing a physical examination and analyzing the person’s symptoms. The most common blunt-force symptoms are abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting.
Doctors also look for what’s known as the “seatbelt sign,” which is bruising running in a diagonal or horizontal band. Blunt force trauma victims will have bruising corresponding to where their seatbelt was at the time of the accident, which often manifests as spine and chest trauma. It’s not a guarantee that you’ve got an injury, but it dramatically increases the odds.
If your doctor suspects that you’ve got a blunt force injury, they’ll perform imaging tests, like ultrasound, CT scans, and x-rays.
What are Your Legal Rights if You Have Experienced Blunt Force Trauma After a Car Accident?
All car accident victims have the right to claim compensation if they sustained blunt force trauma injuries after an accident. Like all injuries, the extent of your injuries and their impact on your life will influence how much you’re entitled to as part of a settlement.
For example, suppose you experienced a traumatic brain injury that kept you from going to work for six months. In that case, you’ll be able to claim for medical costs, pain and suffering, lost wages, and potentially lost earnings potential if you’re unable to return to the workplace.
Likewise, if a blunt force injury resulted in the death of one or more people in the vehicle, a personal injury claim could focus on wrongful death, which would also include loss of companionship, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and the loss of enjoyment of life.
Every case is unique, which is why it’s crucial to contact a car accident attorney for a free consultation on whether you have a case and how much compensation you could be entitled to.
How Do Delayed Onset Symptoms Impact Your Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Don’t make the mistake of assuming that delayed onset symptoms aren’t factored into your personal injury lawsuit. All accident victims are entitled to claim for their injuries, even if symptoms don’t initially appear. However, several legal principles influence how these symptoms are handled.
Firstly, Texas has a strict statute of limitations on personal injury claims. You must file your claim within two years of your accident date, so you’ll only be able to claim for any symptoms that have appeared up until this date.
Some exceptions exist, such as the discovery rule, stating that the statute of limitations doesn’t begin until the victim discovered or should have discovered their injuries. A type of injury that would qualify under the discovery rule would be CTE, which may take a decade to appear.
Seek medical attention immediately to ensure that delayed symptoms are addressed. Not doing so could impact your case. If the delay in diagnosing your symptoms is substantial, it could reduce your final settlement. Likewise, after diagnosis, ensure you follow your doctor’s instructions to avoid jeopardizing your case.
The 51% Bar – Am I Entitled to Blunt Force Injury Compensation in Texas?
Who was to blame for your accident? Texas is an at-fault state, meaning it’s the at-fault party required to assume financial responsibility. In most cases, this is the driver’s insurance company, but it can also be the driver personally if they were uninsured at the time.
Under Texas law, there’s something called the 51% rule. The Lone Star State’s modified comparative negligence laws on personal injury mean that blame is apportioned in percentage terms. If you’re considered more than 51% responsible for the accident, you’re barred from recovering financial compensation.
Talk to a personal injury lawyer to learn more about whether you have the opportunity to seek financial compensation for your accident.
How a Car Accident Lawyer Can Help With Blunt Force Trauma Injuries
If someone else’s negligence resulted in you sustaining blunt force trauma injuries, you could be entitled to compensation. Your car accident attorney could recover economic and non-economic damages, including medical expenses, pain and suffering, mental anguish, lost wages, and wrongful death.
Turning to an Austin car accident lawyer in your hour of need gives you peace of mind that your case is in the best possible hands. Here are just some of the ways that a legal professional helps you:
Assessing Damages – Blunt force trauma can have catastrophic effects on your health. An attorney will help evaluate the extent of your present and future damages with the help of medical professionals to determine how much your case is worth.
Collecting Evidence – Lawyers build their cases by collecting evidence to not only prove fault but demonstrate the impact of their injuries. They’ll use evidence like accident reports, expert witness testimonies, and medical records.
Handling Negotiations – Don’t compromise your recovery by dealing with auto insurance companies and opposing legal teams. Skilled attorneys manage everything on your behalf, ensuring you receive fair compensation.
Filing Your Claim – The legal system is complicated, so let a lawyer handle the paperwork. That includes potentially filing a personal injury lawsuit against the other driver and representing you in court, if necessary.
Ensure Action – Strict deadlines on filing claims mean that it’s easy to let time slip by while you’re recovering. Your lawyer ensures that every action is done on time to guarantee that you don’t lose your right to claim financial compensation for your injuries.
Attorneys are an investment rather than an expense because you don’t pay unless you win your case. Plus, Nolo’s research found that a lawyer will achieve a settlement three to four times higher than accident victims who attempt to fight their cases alone.
Consult a personal injury lawyer and give yourself the best chance of getting the justice you deserve today if you suffered blunt force trauma!
Blunt Force Trauma Car Accident FAQs
Can blunt force trauma lead to severe injuries?
Blunt force trauma often leads to severe injuries, including permanent disability and death. Accident victims may experience internal bleeding and brain injuries. When left untreated, blunt force trauma could result in a coma, organ failure, and permanent brain damage.
Can you get a traumatic brain injury from a car accident?
Traumatic brain injuries are a typical outcome of car accidents. The blunt force trauma of the vehicle coming to a stop often results in the disruption of normal brain function because of the brain being shaken inside the skull or the brain making direct contact with the skull.
How long can you live with traumatic brain injuries?
Many patients live full and healthy lives after a traumatic brain injury, with many achieving full recoveries. However, traumatic brain injuries increase the risk of premature death. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), surviving a moderate or severe TBI may reduce your life expectancy by an average of nine years.
