Seat Belt Injuries In a Crash
By Pyle Law, June 12 2023 7:41 pmA seat belt is an effective safety device that saves many lives, which is why wearing yours is required by law. However, as it helps to reduce the force of impact of an accident on the body, passengers and drivers can still experience a seat belt injury. For example, in an accident, a seat belt may press on the chest or apply excessive pressure to the shoulder.
If you are injured in an accident by a seat belt in Kansas, you should consult with a car accident lawyer at Pyle Law. Below are six examples of seat belt injuries.
Seat belts can also cause injury to the body parts while it protects you from withstanding more severe scenarios. For example, in the event of an accident, a seat belt will lock into place and prevent a driver or passenger’s body from lurching forward and being ejected from the vehicle through the windshield. While a seat belt might save your life, it can also break your ribs as it holds you in your seat.
Car accidents can exude a great deal of force. In stopping this force, a seat belt can cause lacerations or contusions across the skin. These may be in the form of cuts, scrapes, or bruises that are indicated by a change in skin color, bleeding, and more. In the event of an accident, a seat belt can dig deeply into the skin of the neck, chest, shoulders, or stomach and cause contusions and/or abrasions, which may be less severe than blunt force trauma but can still result in an injury that requires medical care.
A seat belt may cause injury to soft tissue or bones in the neck, back, chest, spine, or abdomen during an accident. This can happen due to the pressure of the seat belt or the way your body jolts or twists due to your seat belt.
Depending on the impact, a seat belt may also puncture the sternum. A seat belt is spread across the sternum, and in a high-impact accident, the edges of the belt might puncture the sternum or harm vital internal organs if bad enough.
Seat belts also run across the length of a passenger or driver’s abdomen. The abdomen houses many critical organs, and an accident can lead to many types of injuries in the abdominal region. These are common injuries with lap seat belts.
Injury from a seat belt may also cause damage internally. If it has left a heavy imprint on the body, you may have internal bruising, bleeding, or organ damage. These injuries must be identified by a medical professional.
If you are in a car accident, you should first visit an emergency room or doctor to begin treatment of an injury or to ensure that you have not been injured. If you have been injured by the force of a seat belt and someone else caused the crash, you should protect your legal rights and contact a car accident attorney today. If your accident happened in Kansas, set up an appointment today with Pyle Law.
