Why Am I Experiencing Chest Pain After a Maryland Car Crash?

We associate chest pain with heart problems, but chest pain could be a sign of many other injuries. This is especially true of chest pain following a Maryland auto accident.

Below, our experienced lawyers discuss why you may be experiencing chest pain, along with the symptoms that may accompany your chest pain. We also discuss what you should do about chest pain, including treatment options and pursuing compensation for medical care and other damages.

If you have legal questions after a car crash, our Maryland vehicle accident lawyers are here to answer them. We have been advocating for crash victims for decades, securing millions of dollars in compensation on their behalf.

Experienced Attorneys. Millions Recovered. No Upfront Costs. Call us: 410-297-0271.

Car Crash Injuries That Could Cause Chest Pain

Crash victims often suffer chest injuries if they hit the steering wheel or dashboard. An airbag could hit you in the chest when it deploys, resulting in an injury. Even your seatbelt could damage your chest when it stops your forward momentum during a collision.

Sometimes hitting your chest may only cause bruising or muscle strain. However, hitting your chest during a crash could sometimes cause more severe injuries, such as:

Broken Ribs

Fractured ribs should never be taken lightly, as your ribs protect the organs in your chest. Another risk with broken ribs is a punctured lung, which can cause a release of air into your chest. Punctured lungs are also at risk of collapsing.

Broken bones could be accompanied by other soft-tissue injuries, like muscle strains and bruising.

Broken Sternum/Breastbone

This puts the organs under your sternum at risk of damage, including your heart and esophagus.

Ruptured Organs

A blow to your back in the area behind your chest could damage to your kidneys or cause your spleen to burst.

Trachea Injury

The trachea moves air into and out of your lungs. If your trachea gets damaged in a car crash, you could have trouble breathing, in addition to chest pain.

Symptoms that May Accompany Chest Pain

If you experience any of the following symptoms while dealing with chest pain, it may be a sign of a significant chest injury:

Steps To Take if You Experience Chest Pain After a Collision

You should always seek medical treatment after a car accident, especially if you experience chest pain. Sometimes post-crash chest pain takes a day or two to present. If this happens, you should not assume it will go away on its own. You need to go to a doctor to rule out a serious injury.

If you have internal organ damage and you wait to seek treatment, you could be putting your life at risk. The longer you wait, the worse the damage will get. It may become much more difficult to treat. This is particularly true of a trachea injury.

Seeking treatment right away is also important for your claim for compensation. Getting to the doctor right away helps to link the injury to the crash. You are demonstrating that you are taking the situation seriously. If the insurance company thinks you are not taking things seriously, they are going to question if you are really injured.

After seeking treatment, you should strongly consider contacting an experienced attorney to help you pursue compensation. Your medical treatment is not going to be cheap, and if another driver caused the crash, his or her insurance should pay for it.

How Are Chest Injuries Treated?

The first thing doctors need to do is diagnose your injury. They will ask you about your symptoms and take note of the pain you are feeling. They will want to know when you experience pain and how severe it is.

Doctors are likely to order an X-ray and/or MRI to determine if you have any broken bones or internal organ injuries.

If you have internal organ damage, it may be necessary to perform surgery to fix the damage. Surgery may also be necessary to fix fractured bones in your chest.

Recovery times will vary based on the type and severity of your injury. Doctors may recommend limiting your movements to manage pain and promote healing. You may also need to take anti-inflammatory medications and use ice packs to manage swelling.

Recovering Compensation For a Chest Injury

In Maryland, the driver who causes a crash is liable for the damages that result from that crash. If you suffered a chest injury in a Maryland crash and you think the other driver is at fault, you should discuss the situation with a licensed attorney.

Our lawyers can evaluate what happened to determine if you may have legal options. We are prepared to manage the entire legal process on your behalf. We know how to determine the full cost of past and future medical bills and other damages.

Contact Us To Discuss Your Car Crash Claim

Crash victims have relied on The Law Offices of Peter T. Nicholl for decades. We have successfully recovered millions for those injured in Maryland vehicle accidents.

If you are unsure if you need a lawyer, or your claim has already been denied by the insurance company, give us a call to learn how we may be able to help. There are no upfront costs.

Call to set up a free legal consultation. Phone: 410-297-0271.