The abdominal region is home to many of your body’s vital organs, so any injuries you suffer can seriously affect your long-term health. Additionally, the costs of treating an abdominal injury add up quickly, particularly if you have a long road to recovery ahead of you.
That’s why it’s crucial to reach out to a Chicago abdominal injury lawyer as soon as possible if you’ve been injured. The team of personal injury attorneys at Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. will help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Contact us online or call us at (312) 236-2900 to learn more.
Getting Help After a Chicago Abdominal Injury
For many people, abdominal injuries are among the hardest to detect and receive treatment after a serious accident. While broken bones are obvious to the naked eye, abdominal injuries often present vague symptoms of nausea, general pain, and tenderness. Bruising may not show up for days, leading many victims to believe that they haven’t even been injured.
Due to the risks of abdominal injuries and the challenges you may face in recovering from them, you need a strong legal advocate who will fight for your right to seek compensation. Experienced personal injury attorneys often have extensive networks within the community, so you can get treatment from top medical professionals without worrying about payment until your case is resolved.
If your injuries are due to someone else’s negligence, you should not be left paying thousands of dollars in medical bills or losing thousands to time spent away from work. The liable party should be held accountable. That’s where Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. steps in.
Our team will investigate the accident that caused your injuries, get more information on how your injuries may impact your life, and figure out how much you should receive from the other party. We’ll handle negotiations with the insurance company and, if necessary, take your case to court.
Types of Abdominal Injuries
Abdominal injuries are generally divided into two categories: penetrating trauma and blunt trauma.
Penetrating trauma occurs when something punctures abdominal skin and protrudes into organs or the spaces around organs. With these injuries, patients run the risk of suffering extreme blood loss and permanent organ damage.
Blunt force trauma occurs when the abdomen is hit or struck by a firm, but not sharp or penetrating, object. Note that blunt force trauma can cause abrasions or cuts, but that these are secondary to the main injury.
Common Causes of Abdominal Injuries
Many types of accidents can lead to abdominal injuries. Common causes include:
- Vehicle crashes
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents
- Sports injuries
- Falls
- Assault, including knife wounds and gunshot wounds
Signs of Abdominal Injuries
While penetrating abdominal injuries are usually immediately obvious, blunt force trauma may be more difficult to detect. After you have been hurt in an accident, it’s important to be familiar with signs of abdominal injuries and seek medical attention immediately if you develop any new symptoms. Common symptoms include:
- Abdominal pain
- Tenderness around the abdomen
- A rigid feeling on the abdomen
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Bruising (although this may take days to develop)
- Blood in urine or stool
- High fever
This is why it is always recommended that you seek medical attention promptly after an accident. Even if you aren’t bleeding and don’t immediately experience pain, you may still have sustained serious injuries.
These injuries may not appear until much later, at which point you may have a hard time proving that they were caused by the accident. Getting checked out right away provides evidence of your injuries and allows you to receive immediate treatment.
Compensation for Abdominal Injuries
If your injuries occurred because of another person’s negligence, your attorney will work hard to secure compensation on your behalf. What you recover depends largely on the details of your accident and the severity of your injuries. You may be able to seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses, including surgical fees, emergency care fees, copays, medications, ambulance transportation, and follow-up visits
- Future medical expenses, which is important because abdominal injuries often need ongoing follow-up visits and treatment
- Physical therapy and occupational therapy for those who lose some physical mobility or function as a result of their injuries
- Lost wages due to the accident and recovery time
- Future lost income for those who are permanently unable to work or have limited work abilities because of their injuries
- Pain and suffering
Contact Staver Accident Injury Lawyers Today
After an injury, time is of the essence. The sooner you start working with an experienced, trustworthy Chicago personal injury lawyer, the sooner they can begin building your case. Recovering from an abdominal injury will require medical treatment and rest. You don’t need to add stress over legal issues and insurance problems on top of that.
Let us handle your legal needs while you focus on healing. To discuss your case and take the first step in filing a personal injury claim, reach out to Staver Accident Injury Lawyers, P.C. online or call us at (312) 236-2900.
