Your abdomen is the core of your body—both literally and figuratively. This critical region houses organs essential for survival: the stomach, liver, kidneys, pancreas, and spleen. Its muscular walls act as protective barriers, shielding the organs within.
So when traumatic injury breaches those defenses, the consequences can be severe—potentially even life-altering or life-ending.
Blunt force trauma, penetrating wounds, and internal damage threaten the well-being of both body and mind. But you don’t have to endure the aftermath alone. Experienced personal injury attorneys can help those harmed by negligence, securing the maximum compensation as you focus on healing from your abdominal injuries.
What is an Abdominal Injury?
Your abdomen spans from your lower chest down to your pelvis. This broad region encompasses many critical structures and is protected by layers of muscle lining the abdominal wall. Within the abdomen lie organs essential for daily bodily functions and survival.
An abdominal injury occurs when some form of trauma penetrates or damages the physical integrity of this space. The wounds can be blunt in nature, such as those sustained in serious car accidents, hard falls, or forceful blows to the stomach. Blunt force can bruise, tear, or even rupture internal organs and tissues.
Penetrating trauma is also common, as with stabbings, gunshot wounds, and impalement on objects. Penetrating injuries directly pierce the abdominal wall and organs, often causing severe internal bleeding or organ damage.
In both blunt force and penetrating cases, the trauma disrupts the abdomen’s protective barriers. This places extraordinary strain and harm on the organs and vessels contained within. Even blows to the abdomen that doesn’t break the skin can potentially injure internal structures. Any breach threatens the whole body’s health and stability.
Common Causes of Abdominal Injuries in Personal Injury Claims
Abdominal trauma arises in many scenarios—some accidental, some intentional. Our abdominal injury attorneys commonly see these personal injury cases:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: When cars, motorcycles, or trucks collide, blunt abdominal injuries often result from seatbelts, steering wheels, or impact with the vehicle’s interior.
- Slip and Fall Accidents: Falling forward onto your stomach can cause contusions, abrasions, and internal bruising. Falls from heights escalate these risks.
- Workplace Accidents: Construction sites, industrial machinery, and sharp tools pose risks. Penetrating injuries from impalement are some of the most severe.
- Assault and Battery: Violent crimes like stabbings or shootings can inflict devastating wounds. The abdomen contains many major blood vessels, which means catastrophic bleeding can result.
- Medical Negligence: Surgical errors, improper emergency treatment, and incorrect medication dosages have led to abdominal trauma in some cases.
No matter the cause, a breach of your abdomen jeopardizes everything within. Organs, arteries, and the gastrointestinal tract can all sustain damage. Quick recognition and treatment are crucial.
Diagnosing Abdominal Injuries from Personal Injury Claims
Identifying abdominal trauma requires a combination of physical exams and diagnostic imaging tests. Doctors will thoroughly check the patient for signs like:
- External bruising, lacerations, swelling, or inflammation on the outer abdominal wall and skin
- Internal bleeding that may be detected through CT scans of the abdominal cavity
- Damage to organs like the spleen, liver, kidneys, etc., which can be revealed through MRIs or specialized abdominal ultrasounds
- Fractures, displaced bones, or other skeletal damage visible through X-rays
With penetrating trauma, physicians will attempt to assess the depth, angle, and path of intrusion taken by the wound-causing object (knife, bullet, etc). This helps identify which internal structures may have been impacted.
Some of the most serious abdominal injuries do not manifest obvious symptoms until hours or potentially days after the initial trauma. This delayed onset of bleeding, swelling, and worsening pain highlights why ongoing monitoring and diagnostic testing is so vital, even after initial emergency treatment.
Repeated imaging scans and bloodwork allow doctors to catch complications early before they become life-threatening. Furthermore, injuries that require surgical repair necessitate extensive follow-up exams to check for post-operative issues like infections or complications. A physician experienced in trauma care knows how to watch for red flags that may emerge over time after the patient’s release.
Compensation for Abdominal Injuries in Personal Injury Cases
Coping with an abdominal injury often requires extensive medical intervention, from major surgery and hospitalization to even psychological treatment. Months of recovery time and lost wages strain victims and families financially.
If negligence or violence caused the accident leading to these injuries, you have legal rights to obtain compensation through a personal injury claim or lawsuit. This can help restore your peace of mind as you focus on healing.
Compensable damages may include:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Lost income from missed work
- Cost of rehabilitation or home healthcare
- Compensation for pain, emotional trauma, and diminished quality of life
The medical costs alone can be substantial between emergency response, hospital and ICU fees, surgeon expenses, medications, and assistive devices. Even with insurance, out-of-pocket costs stack up.
Lost income from missing work for extended recovery periods also takes a toll. The injured individual’s quality of life often diminishes, too, especially if permanent damage or disability results. Ongoing pain and suffering, grief, reduced mobility, and lost independence all deserve consideration.
A San Diego personal injury lawyer considers both economic and non-economic damages when building a claim demand. Maximum compensation considers the full scope of physical, emotional, and financial suffering the negligent behavior has caused.
Seeking Legal Representation
Navigating the legal process while coping with trauma can be an uphill battle. An experienced accident injury lawyer can help. We know how devastating abdominal injuries can be, having helped many local victims pursue just compensation after life-altering harm.
A skilled attorney can handle your case investigation, secure evidence, demonstrate liability, and negotiate the maximum possible settlement. If needed, we can take the case to court before a jury. Our goal is to hold all negligent parties fully accountable while you recover surrounded by loved ones.
Contact Pasternack Injury Law Group Today
Recovering from an abdominal injury while also fighting for your right to fair compensation is a massive undertaking. But you don’t have to do it alone. Pasternack Injury Law Group has spent over three decades helping local injury victims and families obtain the maximum compensation for their personal injury claims.
As a family-owned law firm, we know how critical it is to secure your well-being and your family’s future after life-altering harm. If negligence or wrongdoing led to your abdominal trauma, contact our compassionate legal team today for a free, no-obligation review of your case.
Call us or reach out online to schedule a free consultation. Our attorneys are here for you when you need us most.
