Seeking Compensation for a Penetrating Injury from a Cleveland, Ohio Car Crash

You can suffer a variety of significant car accident injuries without your head or body getting hit by anything. However, if you do get hit by something and it penetrates your body, there can be a much higher risk of severe, or even fatal, injuries.

If you get hit in the abdomen by a projectile, like broken glass or something from outside the vehicle, you could suffer catastrophic organ damage that may be difficult to treat.

Friedman, Domiano and Smith’s Cleveland car accident lawyers discuss how penetrating injuries occur in car accidents and your options for seeking compensation for damages.

What is a Penetrating Injury?

A penetrating injury occurs when an object pierces the skin. The object could cause a cut, or it could become lodged inside your body.

Examples of Penetrating Injuries in a Car Crash

There are four main types of penetrating injuries that could occur in a car crash, based on the part of the body that gets penetrated:

• Penetrating neck injury – This is often a life-threatening injury, especially if the object that penetrates your neck pierces a major blood vessel or the spinal cord. A penetrating neck injury could also impair your breathing.
• Penetrating head injury – A penetrating injury to your head could result in life-threatening brain damage. At the very least, the brain damage victims suffer could be permanent.
• Penetrating chest injury – Your chest contains vital organs like the heart and lungs. A penetrating injury to your chest could cause catastrophic damage from which you might not recover. The object that penetrates your chest could also cause a painful injury to your ribs, such as a fracture or severe bruising.
• Penetrating abdomen injury – If an object penetrates your abdomen, it could cause catastrophic damage to organs like your kidneys, spleen, liver and intestines. Damage to these organs could allow substances to spill into your abdominal cavity and possibly cause sepsis. There is also a risk of a significant loss of blood.
• Penetrating arm or leg injury – If an object penetrates one of your arms or legs, you could suffer a severe fracture, which may be accompanied by soft-tissue damage. There is also a risk of a severe laceration that could cause life-threatening loss of blood.

How Penetrating Injuries Happen in Cleveland Auto Accidents

Penetrating injuries often happen when something breaks through the windshield during a car accident, such as a tree branch or debris from the collision.

If you were involved in a commercial truck crash, such as one where you were rear-ended by a truck or hit the back of the trailer, your vehicle could be compacted. This could cause the dashboard, steering wheel or another part of your vehicle to cave in and penetrate your body, such as your head or legs.

If one car rear-ends another that is carrying cargo, the force of impact could cause the cargo to fly out at the rear vehicle, possibly blasting through the windshield.

Rollover collisions and multi-vehicle collisions may also create a higher risk of a penetrating injury. This is because the integrity of your windshield and windows is going to be greatly threatened by multiple impacts. This could make it easier for something to break through and possibly penetrate your body.

Dangers of Penetrating Injuries

One of the biggest risks of a penetrating injury is that you will suffer catastrophic organ damage that cannot be repaired. Even with quick treatment, there is a high risk of complications from the injury, such as an infection or catastrophic loss of blood. Some victims will need an organ transplant, but sometimes it is hard to find a donor with a compatible organ. 

Seeking Compensation for Your Damages

Those who suffer penetrating injuries often need expensive medical care. You may need emergency surgery to remove the object that penetrated your body and long-term monitoring to diagnose and respond to complications.

People who suffer significant spinal cord or brain injuries may need to hire a caregiver to help them with basic tasks like bathing and dressing. Victims may need home and vehicle modifications to accommodate a significant loss of mobility and motor functioning. Victims may not be able to work because of the physical or cognitive damage they have suffered.

Some victims may need ongoing physical therapy to help them regain some of what they lost because of their injuries. This could also include occupational therapy.

Those who cannot work at all are going to need compensation for lost earning capacity, including lost benefits and retirement savings.

These types of car accident claims often include pain and suffering, as there is often significant physical and emotional pain associated with penetrating injuries.

Despite the seriousness of a penetrating injury, insurance companies often try to deny or even underpay the claim. They may even dispute the connection between the injury and the crash. That is why victims and their loved ones should strongly consider hiring an experienced attorney to help them pursue full compensation.

Our experienced attorneys know how to build a strong case for compensation for a life-changing injury. We know how these injuries can affect many aspects of a victim’s life, and we are committed to helping victims get the compensation they need to move forward. If an injury was not your fault, you should not be left figuring out how to deal with the cost of treatment and other consequences of the injury.

Call to Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation with Friedman, Domiano and Smith

Have you suffered a penetrating injury or another type of injury in a Cleveland auto accident?

Recovering full compensation for any car accident injury can be a challenge, especially without the help of an experienced lawyer. The insurance company is going to look for some reason to underpay your claim, no matter how severe or life-threatening your injuries.

We represent clients at no upfront cost. There are also no costs while we work on your case.