An accident can cause devastating injuries with long-term consequences. One of the most painful and devastating types of injuries caused by New Mexico accidents is crushing injuries. Unfortunately, the careless or wrongful actions of other people are often the cause of significant and life-changing crushing injuries, which can lead to disfigurement, disability, and financial uncertainty moving forward.
What Are Crushing Injuries?
Crushing injuries are wounds caused by extreme external pressure placed on the body or body parts. When a person or a part of their body is caught between two objects being forced together, crush injuries result, either due to the weight of the objects or through violent force.
Crushing injuries are painful and can cause significant and life-altering damage to soft tissue, internal organs, and other bodily structures. When a body part gets crushed by the pressure of two external objects, compression of the limb or body part can lead to muscle injuries, broken bones, damaged blood vessels, and potentially tissue death and necrosis. Neurological dysfunction is also a potential side effect.
Some of the most catastrophic long-term medical consequences of crushing injuries include:
- Tissue death/necrosis
- Paralysis
- Loss of use of limb, body part, or organ system
- Amputation
- Infection
- Permanent tissue and nerve damage
Severe crushing injuries can also lead to death.
Long-Term Effects of Crushing Injuries
Crushing injuries don’t just lead to long-term physical consequences. These types of wounds can also impact a person’s long-term financial stability and quality of life. Crushing injuries can require extensive medical intervention, rehabilitation, and physical therapy, not just immediately after an accident but well into the future. The costs associated with caring for a crushing injury can result in financial uncertainty, especially if the injured person cannot return to work and has lost the means to support themselves.
Significant crushing injuries can also alter a person’s mental well-being. Losing the use of a limb or bodily system can trigger depression and anxiety and potentially lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. Mental health conditions are one of the “invisible” long-term side effects of a crushing injury that can affect a person’s life and livelihood.
Other rarely discussed long-term consequences of crushing injuries are the quality-of-life adjustments many victims must make following an accident. Severe crushing wounds can leave an individual unable to engage in activities they once enjoyed, such as playing sports, engaging in hobbies, and interacting with family and friends. They may also need to make significant adjustments to their living situation and can experience loneliness and isolation as they struggle to adjust to their new “normal.”
Causes of Crushing Injuries in New Mexico
Many people only think of crushing injuries in the context of industrial accidents or workplace incidents. However, there are several ways that the careless actions of others can cause accidents that lead to crushing injuries. Some of the most common causes of crushing injuries in New Mexico include:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
Crushing injuries are particularly prevalent in semi-truck collisions, motorcycle crashes, and pedestrian accidents. The force of a motor vehicle collision can crumple and twist metal, crushing anything caught in its path, including fragile body parts. Motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians are at an increased risk of suffering crushing injuries because car or truck parts can pin their limbs or bodies to the pavement.
Consult a Santa Fe Car Accident Attorney for Help Now
A crushing injury can change your life. At the Hunt Law Firm, our car accident lawyers can advocate for you, negotiating for maximum compensation to help you move forward with your life following a crushing injury.
Contact our Santa Fe office to set up a consultation and learn more about how we can help you fight for maximum compensation.