Chest injuries can change your life in an instant. They don’t just knock the wind out of you; they can break bones, damage organs, and leave you dealing with lasting pain. In Galveston, Texas, many are the result of accidents that could have otherwise been avoided. But no matter how they happen, the aftermath of any chest injury is, more often than not, an overwhelming personal injury.
Some chest injuries are obvious, like broken ribs or visible bruises. Others, like internal bleeding, punctured lungs, and heart trauma, aren’t so obvious and might not show up right away. That means you might not know there’s a problem or how bad it is until things get worse, and that, in turn, is a large part of what makes chest injuries so dangerous.
Common Causes of Chest Injuries
Galveston sees its fair share of accidents that typically cause chest injuries. Car accidents are chief among these, as your torso can slam against the steering wheel or your seat belt. Bones can crack, muscles can tear, and your lungs can take damage as well, affecting your ability to breathe or even move without serious pain.
Falls are another major cause of chest injuries. Whether it’s off a ladder or by way of slipping on a slick floor, a hard landing can do real damage, and the older you are, the more likely a fall is to lead to serious injuries.
Additionally, certain job sites, like construction and industrial workplaces, often see falling objects and mishaps with heavy equipment that can easily crush the chest.
Types of Chest Injuries
Not all chest injuries are the same, and some are far more serious than others — but that doesn’t make them any less painful.
A few of the most common forms of chest injuries are as follows:
- Rib fractures: Painful and take weeks to heal; multiple can make it hard to breathe, laugh, or even sleep
- Pneumothorax (collapsed lung): Air gets trapped between the lung and chest wall, leaving you short of breath and with sharp chest pain
- Hemothorax: Blood collects in the chest cavity, often from a torn blood vessel, placing pressure on the lungs and heart
- Pulmonary contusion: The medical term for a bruised lung; it can interfere with oxygen levels and cause long-term problems
- Cardiac contusion: Swelling or irregular beating of the heart; symptoms aren’t always immediate, but nonetheless dangerous
Some of these injuries can take hours or even days to show up, so they’re easy to miss in the beginning. And even less severe trauma, like muscle strains or surface bruising, can limit your movement and impact your daily life.
How Chest Injuries Affect Daily Life
The physical pain of a chest injury can stop you from doing many things you would normally not give a second thought to. Breathing deeply, lifting objects, lying down comfortably, and even just trying to move around normally can all become challenging. And if your injury involves the lungs or heart, it can turn into a long-term health risk.
It’s also easy to underestimate how exhausting recovery can be. Shortness of breath, constant soreness, and time in the hospital can lead to missed work, lost income, and mounting medical bills that you can’t pay.
Chest injuries are tough on a person’s mental health, too. Anxiety, frustration, depression, and PTSD often follow serious injuries. You might feel helpless, especially if the pain doesn’t go away as fast as you hope.
The Cost of a Chest Injury Goes Beyond Medical Bills
Immediate medical care is just the beginning with a chest injury. You might need physical therapy, follow-up visits, in-home health care, pain medications, breathing aids, and possibly even surgery. That means more bills and more time away from work, adding to the financial strain.
Some people, sadly, never bounce back fully. Chronic pain and reduced lung function can linger for years or become permanent, affecting one’s ability to earn a living, take care of their family, and enjoy their life the way they once did. If someone else caused your injury, you shouldn’t have to shoulder these costs for their carelessness.
To make matters worse, insurance companies will often downplay chest trauma, especially if you didn’t go to the ER immediately after your accident. They’ll argue it wasn’t as serious as you say, or that it wasn’t even caused by the accident. And if they do make a settlement offer, it won’t cover the full value of your case, which is why it’s important to document everything.
Contact Our Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you or someone you care about is dealing with a chest injury caused by someone else’s actions, The Law Firm of Alton C. Todd Personal Injury Lawyers is ready to help you fight for your rights and help you recover the compensation you deserve. Contact us today at (409) 207-9299 for a free consultation and get the answers you need to move forward.
