Chest pain after an accident is something you should never ignore. Even minor pain can indicate a serious underlying health issue, such as a heart contusion, a collapsed lung, or internal organ damage. If you were in a car collision and you’re feeling chest pain, see a healthcare professional promptly.
It’s unfortunately common for car accident victims to underestimate their injuries. Adrenaline can mask pain, and some serious injuries are not entirely apparent for hours or days after an accident. Seek prompt medical attention from medical professionals.
Understanding what chest pain after an accident might mean is crucial to protecting your health. If another driver caused your injuries, you also need to know how an experienced Atlanta personal injury attorney can use Georgia law to help you seek fair compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages.
What Types of Chest Injuries Can Result from a Georgia Car Accident?
The impact of a car accident can cause personal injury victims to sustain a wide range of chest injuries, many of which are serious. Some of the most common injuries include:
- Soft Tissue Injuries: Strains, sprains, or torn muscles in the chest wall can cause pain and limit mobility.
- Bruised or Broken Ribs: An inflating airbag or even the pressure of a seatbelt has the potential to damage the ribcage. Broken ribs can be extremely painful, and they can make breathing difficult.
- Internal Organ Damage: The chest and abdominal cavities house the heart, lungs, liver, and spleen. Significant trauma to internal organs can cause life-threatening complications.
- Cardiac Contusion (heart bruise): Blunt force trauma directly to the chest may bruise the heart, leading to dangerous arrhythmia or other complications.
- Collapsed Lung: A collapsed lung occurs when air leaks into the space between the chest wall and the lung, making it difficult to breathe. Broken ribs may puncture a lung and cause it to collapse.
Not all chest injuries are immediately apparent. It’s essential to see a healthcare provider for a medical evaluation after an auto accident, even if you believe that you are uninjured. A trained doctor may identify injuries that were not obvious to you.
What Are Common Causes of Chest Pain After a Georgia Car Accident?
While chest injuries are not the most common result of a car accident, they do happen relatively frequently, and they can occur in a variety of ways.
Some of the most common causes of chest pain after an accident include:
- Seatbelt Injuries: Seatbelts may save lives, but sometimes the impact of a collision is too forceful to prevent injury entirely. Bruising, broken ribs, and soft tissue injuries across the chest are common seatbelt injuries.
- Airbag Deployment: Airbags inflate with tremendous force, sometimes causing bruises, burns, or blunt force trauma to the chest and upper body.
- Impact with the Steering Wheel or Dashboard: In crashes where the occupants are thrown forward, the chest may collide with the steering wheel or dashboard, causing a broken sternum or other broken bones.
- Whiplash and Sudden Deceleration: An abrupt stop can jerk the body back and forth, causing strain to the chest wall.
- Stress and Anxiety: The emotional trauma of an accident can sometimes trigger chest pain related to panic or anxiety.
What Are Signs of a Serious Chest Injury?
Not all chest pain is life-threatening, but specific symptoms may indicate a severe injury. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of the following:
- Sharp, stabbing, or severe pain that worsens with movement or breathing
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Blood or pink frothy fluid from coughing
- Pain that radiates through the arm, back, jaw, or shoulder
- Visible swelling, bruising, or deformity of the chest
Chest pain can indicate punctured lungs, broken ribs, or even a cardiac emergency. If you’re experiencing any of the above symptoms, it’s essential to see a healthcare provider as soon as possible.
What Should You Do If You Are Having Chest Pain After a Georgia Car Accident?
When you experience chest pain after a car accident, the steps you take can make all the difference in protecting your health and strengthening your case for compensation if you need to pursue a personal injury claim. Be sure to:
Seek Medical Care Immediately
If you did not require emergency medical care, see a doctor for a medical assessment as soon as you can, even if you feel okay. Certain injuries, such as whiplash or internal organ damage, may not be evident until well after the accident. Medical records will be essential if you pursue an injury claim. If you don’t seek prompt medical care, insurance companies may claim that your injuries weren’t that serious or that they’re not connected to the accident.
Follow the Treatment Plan
Attend all follow-up appointments and follow your doctor’s orders for rest, medications, and therapy. Insurance companies may use any deviation from the treatment plan to cast blame on you for the state of your health. That can reduce your payout in a personal injury claim.
Document Your Symptoms
Recovering compensation in a personal injury lawsuit or claim requires you to connect your injuries to the accident and show the extent of those injuries and medical bills on your life and household finances. To do this, keep a pain journal documenting your symptoms, medical visits, and any struggles you face due to your injuries.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer
Taking on a personal injury case while you’re recovering from a car crash can be overwhelming. If you suffered harm, you need skilled legal representation. An Atlanta personal injury lawyer can determine your anticipated medical costs, identify the responsible party, evaluate insurance coverage available, and handle settlement negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
An experienced personal injury attorney can develop your personal injury case and guide you through the legal process, allowing you to focus on your recovery. Our goal is to pursue a fair settlement for you. Contact our legal team as soon as possible.
What Are the Different Ways to Treat Chest Pain from a Car Accident?
Treatment for chest pain depends on the type of injury. Some of the most common methods include:
- Rest and pain management
- Prescription medications
- Surgeries and other medical procedures
- Physical therapy
- Cardiac monitoring and treatment
Recovery times vary widely. Some accident victims heal within weeks, while others with catastrophic injuries may face months of medical treatment and have a permanent disability.
Contact a Georgia Car Accident Lawyer
If you’ve suffered injuries in a car accident due to someone else’s negligence, seek guidance from legal professionals. The seasoned personal injury lawyers at Bayuk Pratt can help you pursue a personal injury settlement.
We have over 50 years of combined legal experience handling personal injury litigation against big insurance companies and protecting the rights of Atlanta car accident victims. Car accident injuries are one of our largest personal injury practice areas. Our legal team, based in Atlanta, GA, has recovered over $300 million in settlements and verdicts for our clients. A Georgia personal injury attorney can fight for the fair compensation you need to rebuild your life. Contact our personal injury law firm today for your free consultation.
