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Lawyers for People With Lacerations From Auto Accidents
Lacerations have the potential to be some of the most serious injuries endured in auto accidents and can have immediate and long lasting consequences for the victims who suffer them. The Chicago car, truck and motorcycle accident attorneys of Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers recognize the debilitating nature of these injuries and the emotional and financial toll they have on victims and their families. When representing clients who have been injured in auto accidents, it is our goal to make sure that they are able to cover their costs in the immediate future as well as those they may incur many years later.
Not All Lacerations are the Same
A laceration is defined as any deep cut that requires medical attention, but the location of the wound and the manner in which the laceration occurs has an impact on how the victim must be cared for and his or her prognosis. During an accident, there are many ways in which a person can be cut— whether by debris, contact with the road, pieces of sharp metal or broken glass. Of the many forms of lacerations that can occur, our Chicago auto injury lawyers have found that these wounds fall into four categories.
- Cuts are lacerations that occur when an object makes a cut into the victim’s skin, such as when the victim comes into contact with sharp glass or metal during the accident. These wounds are what most associate the term with and are one of the most common forms.
- Over-stretching lacerations are the result of the skin being torn from expansion. Our skin is extremely flexibility and its elasticity makes it resilient to make forms of damage and injury. When it is stretched too far, however, it will tear or break, resulting in a deep cut that exposes the tissue below. The most common cause for this form of injury is when a body part is caught between two objects that are moving in opposite directions, such as when a motorcycle falls onto a motorcyclist that has been struck by a vehicle moving on an opposing trajectory.
- A grinding compression is often referred to as a degloving injury. This name comes from the loss of the victim’s skin on his or her entire hand in motorcycle accidents where he or she has been dragged along asphalt. Although it can occur on other parts of the body, it is common on the hand and arm and is the result of the skin being peeled away when it brushes against a hard surface for a considerable distance.
- Split lacerations are some of the most serious and painful injuries suffered in car accidents and are usually accompanied by additional wounds. They occur when the body part is crushed between two objects and the skin and muscle tissue below ruptures during the crushing injury.
Complications Associated with Lacerations
While blood loss is the most immediate concern associated with lacerations, they can leave victims debilitated for months or years to come. The loss of blood can send the victim into shock and immediate medical attention is required to ensure he or she does not die at the scene of the accident. Survival is merely the first step in a long process of recovery for many of our Chicago auto injury lawyers’ clients, however. Here are some of the additional complications and concerns many of them will face.
- Scarring and disfigurement. The types of injuries suffered in an accident can vary, depending on whether the victim was driving a car, a truck or a motorcycle, but every accident has the potential to cause wounds that leave long lasting marks on the body and psyche. When these scars are visible and alter the victims’ appearance, they can ruin their self-confidence, cause depression and serve as a constant reminder of a horrific event. Some scars can be treated, but not without multiple surgeries that are often considered as cosmetic procedures by insurance companies.
- Infections. The skin protects us from the majority of microorganisms in the world that could do us harm. Open wounds invite bacteria, viruses and parasites into the surrounding tissue and the blood. Whenever doctors treat a patient with lacerations, cleaning and disinfecting the wound is a priority in order to prevent or limit the spread of an infection. Some bacteria and parasites have become resistant to medicine or may spread faster than they can be contained. If an infection cannot be contained or treated, it could result in septic shock or the need for amputation.
- Nerve damage. Muscle and skin tissue is able to repair itself over time, but damage to nerves is permanent. If a nerve is damaged due to a deep laceration, it could result in the loss of feeling, loss of motor function or painful sensations in the affected area.
- Loss of life. Whether due to excessive loss of life or medical complications arising from the injury, it is possible for victims who have suffered lacerations to die from their wounds. When this occurs, the victim’s family may seek compensation in the form of a wrongful death lawsuit against the responsible driver in the accident.
Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers provides award winning legal services to thousands of clients across Illinois. If you have suffered serious-- such as lacerations-- injuries during a car, truck or motorcycle accident, we understand your need for justice as well as the compensation required to cover your financial losses. Contact us today to arrange a risk free consultation with one of our lawyers so that we can collect the information we need to advise you properly and let you know all that we can do on your behalf.
Our Chicago car, truck and motorcycle accident attorneys work solely on a contingency fee basis, which means we will only collect our fee after we’ve secured compensation on your behalf. You’ll never be required to pay us upfront and our services are free if we cannot negotiate a settlement or win your case in court.
