Frightening Story Proves Car Accident Injuries Can Appear Years Later

To the average person, it might not seem believable that injuries from a Charleston car accident can appear more than a decade later. After all, those who are injured go to the hospital and are treated by numerous professionals. It seems pretty far-fetched that after being examined, cleared and discharged, a person could still have injuries, let alone live with them for years. Despite the odds, it does happen, and a prestigious medical journal has just uncovered how one woman could have died from her undetected injuries 13 years after a collision. The Victim Suffered Blunt Chest Trauma During Her Car Accident Blunt chest trauma can have numerous causes, but here in the United States, as much as 80% of all cases stem from vehicle collisions. It's a general term that simply means an object impacted with the chest, and caused some form of injury. In a collusion, this could be the steering wheel or a portion of the crumpling vehicle. A pedestrian might also be diagnosed with it if he's hit by a car. Because there are so many organs in the chest cavity, and the level of trauma will vary, there's no specific set of symptoms a doctor can look for. The injuries may be minor and can heal with relative ease, or they may turn deadly. It's estimated that 50,000 people die every year as a result of chest trauma. Cardiac Complications are Common and Severe The doctors involved in the journal paper note that several heart issues can result from blunt chest trauma. Among the most severe include:

• Arrhythmia
• Chordae and papillary muscle rupture
• Coronary artery dissection or thrombosis
• Free-wall rupture
• Heart failure
• Septal rupture
• Tricuspid regurgitation

The Victim Suffered from Tricuspid Regurgitation In a normally-functioning heart, the valves open to allow blood to flow from one chamber to the next, and close to stop blood from flowing backwards again. However, if the valve doesn't close all the way, it's referred to as regurgitation. When the tricuspid valve, which sits between the right lower heart chamber and the right upper heart chamber doesn't close all the way, the condition is referred to as tricuspid regurgitation (TR). Depending on the severity, a person might not show any symptoms of a heart problem at all, and may not even require treatment. Those with moderate to severe TR have a very poor prognosis, and may exhibit signs of heart failure. Over a period of years, the survival-rate is dismal. The woman in question suffered from severe TR. In other words, it's incredible that she survived at all, and amazing that she was able to receive a proper diagnosis 13 years later, have a surgical repair performed, and continue on with her life.

Charleston Car Accident Attorney

If you're hurt in a collision, get medical help first. If you're still not feeling well, get a second opinion, and a third, if need be. Your medical ailments may continue on, and if left untreated can have fatal consequences years later. If you were injured because someone else was negligent, we can help. Our attorneys can help you navigate the system and will work to have reparations awarded to you to cover the ongoing expenses you incur as a result of the incident. For a free consultation, please fill out our online form or speak to one of our lawyers now by calling 1(800)610-2546.