Why Does Your Chest Hurt After a Car Accident in Virginia?

People who have been involved in car, truck, and motorcycle crashes often suffer from numerous injuries. Chest pain is common after a wreck. The question why does your chest hurt after a car accident in Virginia should not be ignored.

There are many explanations for chest pain after a car wreck ranging from bruising to life-threatening injuries. Don’t dismiss chest pain. Seek medical attention whether you feel dull or sharp pain.

The failure to see your doctor in the days after a car accident can result in complications and put a future insurance claim for your injuries in jeopardy. At Cooper Hurley Injury Lawyers, we have helped many clients who suffered chest injuries in a car accident. Talk to a Virginia car wreck injury lawyer as soon as possible if you suffer chest injuries.

What Are Possible Reasons Why Your Chest Hurts After a Car Accident in Virginia?

Many scenarios cause chest injuries in car wrecks. Even if you were hit from behind by another driver, you can hurt your chest. Common causes include:

• Injuries from a high-speed collision with the dashboard
• Pressure from the seatbelt;
• Injuries from your rib cage hitting the steering wheel;
• Injuries from the impact with the door;
• The impact of the windshield or a collision with the road from an ejection accident.

FIve Common Reasons Why You Have Chest Pain After an Auto Wreck

The cause of chest pain may be obvious. However, in some cases, it’s necessary to see a specialist to diagnose your pain. Reasons why your chest hurts include:

Bruised Ribs

The trauma involved in a car accident can cause bruising to the ribs or your sternum. Dull, aching pain is often a sign of bruised ribs. People who suffer a bruised rib habitually feel tenderness around the blackened area, a visible bruise, spasms or twitching in your chest and swelling.

Bruised ribs usually clear up in a matter of weeks but you should seek medical attention. Don’t assume you have a bruised rid and forgo medical attention. The underlying cause of your symptoms could be more serious.

Injuries to Your Internal Organs

Internal injuries are often life-threatening. They are not always obvious. You may experience chest pain because the steering wheel or another part of the car crushed or damaged vital organs.

Car accident victims sometimes suffer damage to their spleens. The spleen is located in the abdomen. It contains disease-fighting blood cells that counter infections and kill unwanted bacteria. Damage or the rupturing of the spleen during a car crash can be fatal.

Drivers and passengers who are involved in Virginia car wrecks sometimes suffer damage to their livers. Car accidents are the most common causes of contusion of the liver which is a bruising of the liver. A more serious, and potentially-fatal issue is the tearing of the liver. It’s important to get medical treatment as soon as possible.

Car crash victims sometimes suffer from punctured lungs or collapsed lungs. A condition called pneumothorax occurs when the air presses on the outside of a lung, causing it to collapse. Symptoms include rapid chest pains and shortness of breath. Any lung damage is a serious medical condition that affects your quality of life or life period.

Although injuries to internal organs are often life-threatening, they may not always be apparent immediately after a car wreck. However, you are likely to feel pain and a range of other symptoms.

Fractured Ribs

Your chest pain post-accident can be caused by a broken rib. Fractured ribs usually cause sharp, shooting pains. The body has 12 pairs of rubs. Any of the 24 are potentially vulnerable during a crash. However, there is a wide variation in the severity of broken ribs from a crack to broken bones damaging your organs such as your lungs, kidneys, and spleen.

Chest Pain Due to Heart Injuries

A broken rib can puncture or harm your heart. This requires immediate medical attention. Look out for dull chest pains which can be constant or intermittent. Car accidents can cause many heart problems.

Muscle Strain

Muscle strain is another common cause of pain and discomfort after a car crash. In the seconds before an impact, your body tenses up and the muscles around your chest can suffer a strain. This condition feels like a bruised rib but these pains may be slightly sharper. Muscle strains usually heal within weeks.  Although most muscle strains are minor, severe strains can result in a tearing of the muscles.

How Can You Protect Yourself from Chest injuries in a Virginia Car Crash?

You can never guarantee you won’t be injured but wearing a seatbelt will lessen your chances of sustaining a severe chest injury. People who are ejected often sustain life-threatening injuries to internal organs. Also, make sure your airbag is working properly, Never put young children in the front seat where the airbag can seriously injure or kill them.

Does Your Chest Hurt After a Collision? – Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer

If your chest hurts after a car wreck the first person you should talk to should be your doctor. Once your injuries are documented, you should consult a lawyer. Chest injuries can require long and costly treatment and it’s only just for the driver who caused your injury to be held accountable. Call our Norfolk-based car accident team today.