Injuries and death are two common characteristics of a motor vehicle collision in Augusta, Georgia. As our Augusta car accident lawyers have repeatedly seen, crash injuries may start as minor and become more severe. Sometimes, a lack of immediate medical treatment may lead to the victim’s death.
The treating doctor may recommend surgery as a last resort to fix whatever is broken at other times. Usually, they do this after running several tests that show the extent of the damage done to a body part or organ. These tests are X-rays, CT scans, or MRI exams.
This article looks at common car accident injuries that require surgery to fix. If you or a loved one suffer any of these wounds, contact the law office of Ted A. Greve and Associates. We are your best bet at obtaining a fair settlement.
6 Car Accident Injuries That Require Surgery
Below, we list six auto accident injuries that would require surgery.
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Back Injuries
Motor vehicle crashes, especially rear-end collisions, cause severe back injuries. These wounds include broken vertebrae, dislocated vertebrae, herniated discs, and torn soft tissue. You may need one or more of these surgeries to correct your back injury:
- Discectomy: A discectomy is the surgical removal of part or all of a herniated vertebral disc. This surgery relieves pressure, irritation, or compression of nerves.
- Laminectomy: A laminectomy is a surgery that creates space by removing the lamina — the back part of a vertebra that covers your spinal canal. Doctors perform this surgery to relieve pressure.
- Vertebroplasty: A vertebroplasty is an outpatient procedure. Doctors perform it to stabilize compression fractures in the spine. They do this by injecting bone cement into the backbones (vertebrae) that have cracked or broken. When the cement hardens, it stabilizes the fractures and supports your spine.
- Spinal Fusions: A spinal fusion is used to fix a broken vertebra or a herniated disc. This surgery helps to give you better stability and improve pain management.
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Bone Fractures/Broken Bones
A bone fracture is quite common in high-impact crashes where the collision force is more than the body can absorb. A severe fracture — that is a clean break — may not require surgery to fix. But if you suffer a compound fracture where the bone ruptures the skin, you’ll need surgery.
A surgical procedure will also be required if the crash breaks the bone into several pieces. The doctor will use screws, rods, pins, and plates to keep the bone in place. Furthermore, you may need surgery if you tear your tendons or muscles. Finally, if it’s a hip or knee fracture, you may require partial or total joint requirements. All these will result in months of physical therapy.
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Head/Brain Injuries
Any head injury requires immediate medical attention. After your doctor runs some tests on you, they will recommend surgery or other treatment depending on the injury severity. Generally, you will get surgery to repair a skull fracture, stop a brain bleed, remove a clot, or relieve the pressure building in the brain.
Brain surgery is physically demanding and quite risky. In addition, you may need rehabilitative therapy to relearn some physical or cognitive activities. Hence, your doctor will only recommend brain injury as a last resort.
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Internal Bleeding/Injuries
In a high-impact car accident, the metal from the car might puncture your organs, creating an internal injury or bleeding. The type of surgery you need to repair an internal injury depends on the organ affected and the severity. So you may need a minimally invasive procedure or an extensive procedure.
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Surgery to Repair Torn Soft Tissue
Most soft tissue injuries like a whiplash heal in time, with adequate rest, effective pain management, and physical therapy, most soft tissue injuries like a whiplash heal in time. However, if the injury is more severe than most, you may need surgery. But your doctor may refer you to alternative treatment options.
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Disfigurement/Cuts and Lacerations
Deep cuts and lacerations may result in disfigurement or extensive scarring. If this happens, you need plastic surgery to reduce the damage to your appearance, especially if the affected area is your face, arm, or hands.
Contact Car Accident Lawyers in Augusta Now!
Severe auto crash injuries requiring surgery mean more time in the hospital and significant medical bills. These bills may be more than you or your health insurance can handle. But, even if you could, you shouldn’t have to pay for the harm another person caused you.
At Ted A. Greve and Associates, our Augusta auto accident attorneys can help you get the maximum compensation from the negligent party. This way, you can focus on your recovery while we fight for your rights. So contact us today for a free case evaluation.
