$1.0 Million Car Accident Settlement
A middle aged woman was misdiagnosed in an emergency room resulting in permanent impairment.
General Car Accident Settlement Information
Misdiagnosis After A Car Accident
A medical misdiagnosis can occur after a car accident in an emergency room due to a variety of factors. One of the primary reasons is the pressure physicians face to see and diagnose too many patients within a shift. Emergency rooms are often crowded with patients who require immediate attention, which can cause doctors to rush through the diagnostic process. This can lead to overlooking important information. In some cases, the complexity of injuries sustained in a car accident can make it more difficult to accurately diagnose patients.
If you had to go to the emergency room due to a car accident, and a serious injury was misdiagnosed or missed, your pain and suffering should be compensated. Serious injuries pile up medical bills, take you away from your job resulting in lost wages, and may require future treatment and therapy. If your doctor failed to properly treat your personal injury, call me. I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Possible Injuries After A Car Accident
Broken Bones
Broken bones are a common injury that can occur after a car accident. Collarbone fractures are particularly common as the seatbelt can put pressure on this bone and cause it to break.
Chest Pains
Chest pain after a car accident can be a sign of a serious medical condition that requires immediate attention. Some common symptoms of chest pain include pressure, tightness, or pain that may spread to the arms, neck, jaw, or back, nausea or vomiting. The chest pain may be caused by several factors such as inflammation of the chest muscles, or trauma to the chest.
Minor Burns
Burns after a car accident can result from a variety of causes, including automobile fires, explosions, and exposure to hot metal, steam, and debris. The treatment for burns after a car accident depends on the degree and extent of the burn, and may range from basic first aid to specialized medical care.
Lacerations
Lacerations are wounds that result from blunt trauma, such as that sustained in a car accident. They can be identified by visible tears in the skin and often require medical attention to stop bleeding, clean the wound, and prevent infection. Deep lacerations may require stitches to close the wound and promote proper healing.
Signs of Heart Attack
Warning signs of a heart attack can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach, shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness. Chest pain following a car accident can be caused by surface injuries, broken ribs, or more severe injuries and complications such as a collapsed lung or blunt heart injury.
Signs of Stroke
Since strokes can occur due to a car accident, it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms. Signs of a stroke can include numbness or weakness in the face, arm, or leg, confusion, trouble speaking or understanding speech. Also, having trouble seeing in one or both eyes, trouble walking, dizziness, problems with balance, and severe headache that can occur with no known cause.
Possible Misdiagnosis Of Car Accident Injuries
Broken Bones
Broken bones could be misdiagnosed as not having a fracture if an x-ray is never performed. The radiologist or doctor looking at the x-ray may miss the fracture, or the x-ray doesn’t show the fracture.
Chest Pains
Chest pain can be misdiagnosed as a number of different conditions, including disorders of the digestive system like heartburn, pulled muscle in chest wall, inflammation in rib cartilage, shingles, and broken or bruised ribs. Additionally, chest pain can be misdiagnosed as an anxiety attack, particularly in cases where there is underlying heart disease or other cardiovascular disorders.
Heart Attack
A heart attack following a car accident could potentially be misdiagnosed as surface injuries, broken ribs, or other injuries. Complications related to the chest area, such as a collapsed lung or blunt heart injury could also be a misdiagnosis.
Stroke
A stroke can be misdiagnosed as a seizure. Misdiagnosis of a stroke may also occur if the symptoms are atypical, especially if they involve nontraditional symptoms such as nausea/vomiting, altered mental status, and dizziness.
Most Common Causes Of Car Accidents in Cleveland
Distracted driving
This is a leading cause of car accidents in many areas, including Cleveland, Ohio. It involves taking your eyes, hands, or mind off the wheel while driving. Examples include texting, using a phone, eating, grooming, or adjusting the radio.
Speeding
Driving above the speed limit or too fast for the current road conditions can increase the likelihood of car accidents. Speeding also reduces the driver’s ability to maintain vehicle control, increasing stopping distance, and leading to more severe injuries and damage in the event of a crash.
Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
Alcohol and drugs impair judgment, reaction time, and vision, leading to a higher risk of accidents. Drunk driving is a serious crime, and many car accident cases are centered around the sobriety of the driver.
Running red lights or stop signs
This can lead to collisions with other vehicles or pedestrians who have the right of way. Traffic lights are installed to decrease the amount of auto accident cases. Ignoring the law not only increases the chances of getting into an accident, but is a reason why an auto insurance company may raise rates.
Fatigue and drowsiness
Drivers who are overly tired may experience impaired reaction time, poor judgment, and decreased attention span. With hopes to reduce motor vehicle accidents, many car manufactures have installed an alert, if the driver seems to be driving while tired.
When representing my clients in car accident lawsuits, I’m often negotiating with the at fault driver’s insurance company. I am here for you to get a personal injury settlement that pushes the insurance limits. If you’ve been in a car accident, truck accident, or motorcycle accident and suffered personal injury, call me right away!
What To Do After You’ve Been Involved In A Car Accident
If someone has been involved in a car accident, it’s important to take certain steps to ensure everyone’s safety and protect their legal rights. Cleveland car accident lawyers like myself, recommend taking these precautions after an accident:
Determine if anyone is injured
The first priority after a car accident is to make sure everyone is safe. Check yourself, passengers in your vehicle, and any occupants of other vehicles involved in the accident for injuries. If anyone is injured, call 911 immediately for emergency medical attention. Never leave the scene of an accident, even a minor one.
Move vehicles to a safe location
If possible, move the vehicles involved in the accident to the side of the road or a safe location away from traffic to prevent additional accidents. Turn on hazard lights and set up flares or warning triangles to alert other drivers.
Exchange information
Exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver(s) involved in the accident. Make note of their name, address, phone number, driver’s license number, license plate number, and insurance information. Do not admit fault or discuss the accident beyond exchanging information.
Take pictures and document the scene
Take pictures of any damage to the vehicles, the accident scene, and injuries sustained. Make note of the time, date, location, weather conditions, and any other relevant details. This information may be helpful when filing a claim with your insurance company or pursuing legal action.