A car accident or collision can cause hip or pelvic injuries requiring surgery. A personal injury lawsuit or settlement can provide the necessary funds for optimal recovery.
Pelvic Injuries Resulting from a Car Wreck
When one is in a traffic accident, many thoughts immediately come to mind. Am I okay? Is everyone in my vehicle and any other involved vehicles okay? Am I sitting in a safe place? The second thought that comes to mind may include calling the police or the financial burden just inflicted by vehicle damage.
A traffic accident can be a traumatic event in every way, but unfortunately, the trauma does not always end at the scene. Even when it seems that everyone is in good health, it is important to continue to look for signs of injury during the following days.
An injury may occur in an accident without being immediately recognized, but this type of injury could cause serious problems later if not identified. Pelvic injury is a type of serious injury that is often not immediately noticed.
Causes of Pelvic or Hip Injury in a Collision
Although pelvic injuries are generally relatively rare in comparison to the frequency of other injuries, they are fairly common in high-speed traffic accidents. There are three common causes of pelvic injuries in car accidents.
1. The force of the accident itself can often cause pelvic injury from the sudden jerk of the impact or a part of the vehicle being pushed into the hip area.
2. Seat belts can cause pelvic injury for a similar reason. The seatbelt counteracts the sudden jerk from the force of the accident, but that force must be distributed through the hip and chest areas. Although seat belts are essential and save lives, they cannot prevent all injuries, and often the pelvic injury is one of the injuries sustained.
3. Airbags can also cause pelvic injury. Similar to the situation with seatbelts, airbags prevent a lot of injuries, but often deploy with great force into the chest and down toward the pelvic area making injury a possibility.
Diagnosis of Hip Bone or Pelvic Injuries After an Accident
It is important to be informed of common symptoms of pelvic injury so that medical attention can be sought. After a traffic accident, many serious injuries are often ignored by the patient because the patient expects to be sore for a while. Unfortunately, this window of time immediately following an accident is crucial for complete recovery. Waiting can allow injuries to become more permanent or complications to occur.
Common symptoms. The most common symptom of pelvic injury is abdominal pain. However, less obvious symptoms can also be signs. These symptoms include:
- Unexpected bleeding
- Numb or tingling sensation in legs
- Difficulty walking
- Difficulty urinating
If someone experiences any of these symptoms for any reason, medical attention should be sought immediately, but this is especially urgent if the person has been in a recent accident.
At the doctor. The first step the doctor will take in diagnosis is to simply talk. He will need to be given a list of symptoms and will ask questions about recent events. Then, the doctor will begin testing. This is typically a simple x-ray or CT scan. The doctor will be able to evaluate whether there is an injury to the pelvic area, the severity of the injury, and how to treat the injury.
Treatment
Treatment for pelvic injuries depends largely on the type and severity of the injury. If the injury is stable and not as serious, bed rest and pain relievers may be the only necessary treatment. If the injury is more serious, surgery to stabilize the area may be necessary for complete recovery.
The most severe pelvic injuries will be noticed immediately, but care and treatment are essential for complete recovery from even minor pelvic injuries. It is important to not ignore the symptoms for treatment to be effective.
Prognosis For Pelvic Injuries
The prognosis for pelvic injuries depends greatly on the severity of the injury and how well it is treated. The worst-case scenario is to have life-long repercussions that include:
- Limping
- Digestive and reproductive problems
- Nerve damage
- Difficulty walking or running
To keep these complications to a minimum, seek medical treatment as quickly as possible. Do not ignore the symptoms.
Can Hip & Pelvic Injuries Be Prevented?
It is unfortunately difficult to prevent pelvic injury in car accidents due to the position of the seatbelt and the location of the airbag deployment. The best option is to never get in an accident in the first place. Here are a few tips to avoid accidents, especially on high-speed roads.
- Avoid the left lane. The shoulder on the right side of the road tends to be much easier to pull off for extra room in a crisis situation. In the left lane, the traffic tends to go faster and drivers tend to take more risks. Staying out of the left lane when possible will decrease the chance of an accident.
- Always look ahead. Especially on high-speed roads, it is important to look at the road ahead for potential dangers. The vehicle is simply covering so much ground so quickly that the driver needs to always be alert for dangers that may seem to be far ahead, but in reality, will be met within seconds. This can allow the driver to apply the brakes safely, instead of too quickly, which can lead to other problems such as losing control of the vehicle or getting hit from the rear.
- Know your vehicle’s blind spots. Drivers need to do their very best to adjust mirrors to minimize blind spots as much as possible, but also know that there will always be areas that cannot be seen when looking forward. Knowing where these are will help drivers to pay extra attention to avoid crashing into anything that might be otherwise hidden. This is particularly necessary when changing lanes.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm Today
If you or someone you know has suffered a pelvic injury from an accident, call Robinette Legal Group today! Our skilled Morgantown personal injury lawyers are committed to helping you receive the compensation you need to get your life back to normal as quickly as possible.
Robinette Legal Group PLLC
211 Everhart Dr, Ste 200
Morgantown, WV 26508
(304) 594-1800
Call us today to find out how we can help you.
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