5 Common Seat Belt Injuries

Seat belts dramatically reduce the risk of death, but they can also injure a motorist involved in a crash. Contact an experienced law firm to discuss whether you can request compensation from a negligent driver. Florida law allows motorists with substantial injuries to seek financial compensation when careless or reckless motorists crash into them. And since the law requires that drivers be buckled up, a negligent driver should have to pay compensation for common seat belt injuries.

Heart Contusion

The seat belt can press against a person’s breastbone, also called the sternum. The sternum can then press against the heart and cause a bruise, which is a heart contusion.

This is a serious injury. Cardiac arrest or stroke are possibilities, and injured motorists need to give the injury time to heal, which could mean avoiding any physical exertion by spending months in bed.

Rib Fractures

The chest belt can also fracture ribs. Depending on a person’s age, this could be a potentially life-threatening injury. With any rib fracture, a patient will struggle to take deep breaths or exhale fully, so the risk of pneumonia increases.

Several studies show an increased risk of death with elderly people who suffer a rib fracture. One study showed that those aged 65 or older were twice as likely to die from rib fractures than younger people.

Shoulder Injuries

The shoulder belt can cut into a person’s shoulder during a violent accident, leading to various injuries to the:

• Rotator cuff
• Joint dislocation
• Ligaments
• Tendons

A motorist might be unable to lift their arm above their head. A person might miss work due to shoulder injuries, which can take a long time to heal.

Bowel Injury

The lap belt can also cut into the abdomen, leaving a person with a bad bruise at best. The force might be so strong as to perforate the bowel, which might be a fatal injury. Following an accident, pay attention to bowel obstruction, nausea, or abdominal pain. A doctor can investigate.

Sacroiliac Joint Pain

Your sacroiliac joints connect the sacrum to your pelvis and show up as dimples on a person’s lower back. These joints help shift the upper body weight when a person sits or stands. The joints can also help the pelvis absorb shock when the body moves.

Sacroiliac joint pain is a common injury after a car crash. You might experience a stabbing pain or a dull, consistent ache. Typically, the pain increases when you rotate your upper body or hips, or when you stand. A doctor can diagnose the injury by asking questions and possibly ordering an MRI or other imaging test.

Call a Miami Car Accident Lawyer Today

Significant injuries require meaningful compensation. Call Pita Weber Del Prado to speak with a Miami car accident lawyer about your collision. In many cases, our clients can step outside the no-fault insurance system and seek financial compensation from a negligent motorist. We are happy to describe more about the process in a private, no-risk consultation.

Sources:

https://journals.lww.com/jtrauma/abstract/2000/06000/rib_fractures_in_the_elderly.7.aspx

https://www.webmd.com/back-pain/si-joint-back-pain