It comes as no surprise that a car accident can be one of the most distressing moments in your life – and one that every driver wishes to avoid. Unfortunately, car accidents are more than just numerous calls with your insurance provider and coordinating car repairs – they can often come with serious injuries.
Over two million individuals are injured or disabled in car crashes every year in the United States, and injuries can be as simple as a bruise or as complex as a chest contusion. A chest injury can be one of the most common car accident injuries and can result in more serious effects.
Our team of car accident lawyers at Hoffman Law Firm can help take the weight off your chest by navigating the aftermath of a car accident for you while you focus on what’s important.
Sit back, take a deep breath, and keep reading to understand more about chest pain after a car accident and how our team at Hoffman Law Firm can help you receive compensation.
What Causes Chest Pain After a Car Accident?
During a car accident, your chest unknowingly welcomes the force of the impact, whether it be from colliding with the steering wheel or restraint from a seat belt. A blow to the chest has the potential to not only knock the wind out of you but cause serious injuries within the body.
Examples of chest-related injuries that may lead to pain include:
- Fractured ribs
- Punctured or bruised lung
- Internal organ damage
- Heart attack (can result from the force of airbag deployment)
- Fractured sternum
- Muscle strain
Symptoms of a Chest Injury (And When Should I See a Doctor?)
The sudden jolt from a collision throws the driver and passengers forward, resulting in the potential impact with the airbag, steering wheel, and restraint from the seat belt. These points of contact make resulting chest pain incredibly common in the aftermath of a crash.
While chest pain can be quite common after an accident, some other signs and symptoms may indicate a more serious chest injury. Chest injury symptoms and signs include:
- Trouble breathing
- Weakness and fatigue
- Sharp pains in certain torso movements
- Dizziness
- Wheezing
- Pain or discomfort when you cough, sneeze, or laugh
- Pain or discomfort at the slightest amount of pressure
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms in conjunction with chest pain, seek medical attention immediately. Prolonging medical treatment could result in higher medical expenses and more time missed from work.
Earlier diagnosis and treatment not only make your road to recovery a shorter journey but also help your car accident lawyer prove that the injury was a direct result of your collision.
When Should I See a Doctor?
Chest pain does not always happen right after a collision – it can show up days or even weeks later. Even if no symptoms arise immediately after the incident, you should always seek medical care as soon as possible.
Seeing a doctor as soon as possible after an auto accident will rule out any underlying conditions or injuries that resulted from the crash. It will also help the Charleston personal injury lawyers at Hoffman Law Firm assigned to your case protect your ability to seek compensation.
What to Do for Chest Pain After a Car Accident
If you experience chest pain following a car accident, it’s important to follow these steps on the road back to recovery:
Document the Scene
Amid the accident, the first step is to contact the police and wait for emergency responders to arrive. Documentation and accurate information are key during this initial step, so take photos of the accident, damage to the vehicles, and any clear injuries.
When exchanging information with the other parties involved and witnesses, ask for their name; contact and insurance information, along with specific details on the vehicle. These will play a key role in your legal claim later.
Seek Medical Treatment Immediately
When it comes to your health, time is of the utmost importance. Chest pain symptoms can be delayed after an accident, so schedule a visit with a doctor to rule out potentially life-threatening injuries. The road to recovery could become costly in more ways than one if you wait.
Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney in Charleston, SC
Seeking compensation after a car crash is a challenging task. Determining fault, ensuring the proper documentation is in order and battling insurance companies is difficult to do under the best of circumstances–let alone while you are trying to recover from a chest injury.
At Hoffman Law Firm, our main concern is you. We will handle all correspondence with insurance providers and legal matters involving the accident – all we want you to focus on is getting better and back on your feet. We offer a free consultation with one of our experienced car accident attorneys, and you only pay us if we win.
Seek Compensation After Your Car Accident with Help from Our Car Accident Attorneys
Suffering from chest pain after a car accident can be an easy symptom to shrug off, but that doesn’t mean you should.
As one of the leading car accident law firms in the Palmetto State, our team has extensive experience handling a wide variety of cases. Based in Charleston, SC, we have established a reputation for success, as well as great service!
Don’t live with a weight on your chest–contact a member of our team today!
Cases We Handle
HOFFMAN LAW FIRM CASE RESULTS
$4,000,000 RECOVERED IN CAR ACCIDENT CASE
Recovered for a man struck by a box truck who had run a red light.
$2,500,000 RECOVERED IN CAR ACCIDENT CASE
Jury verdict for a woman with $200,000 in medical bills that was t-boned by a distracted driver.
$1,950,000 RECOVERED IN CAR ACCIDENT CASE
Recovered for a man who struck a poorly lit commercial trailer.
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