The risk of suffering an injury can arise in many circumstances. Motor vehicle accidents, slip-and-fall accidents and defective product mishaps are three examples of situations often resulting in injury.
Sometimes, serious injuries are obvious. Other times, victims only suffer minor wounds in an accident. With minor harm, many people forego getting a comprehensive medical examination. Unfortunately, without an early medical review, dangerous complications may arise.
Broken bone complications
If you break your leg in a car accident, you will probably have it set and then go home. You may never see a doctor again until the removal of your cast, and you won’t know how well the bone healed.
Complications that can turn a fracture into a severe condition include:
- Damage to blood vessels. Can cause internal bleeding, dangerously low blood pressure and tissue death
- Infections of the bone. Notoriously hard to cure, these infections occur when the tissue around the wound becomes infected and spreads to the bone.
- Compartment syndrome. This places unusual pressure on blood vessels that could lead to tissue death.
- Uneven limbs. When a child suffers a bone break, there is a risk that one leg will end up being longer than the other, possibly leading to mobility issues.
If a simple fracture can lead to life-changing complications, imagine what might happen with already serious injuries.
A spinal cord injury, for example, sometimes leads to autonomic dysreflexia, compromising automatic functions like breathing, heart rate, etc. Respiratory complications can also arise and are the top cause of death in spinal cord injury patients.
Always get a thorough assessment after an injury and attend your follow-up appointments to avoid complications. A timeline of medical care after an accident can help you get the compensation you deserve. It is also helpful to refresh your knowledge of California accident and injury laws.