A crush injury occurs when a body part is under prolonged pressure, usually as a result of being trapped between heavy objects. This can occur as a result of an auto accident, construction injury, or structural collapse, among many other types of accidents.
Crushing injuries can include nerve damage, fractures, severe bleeding, or a condition called crush syndrome, when the pressure is released, and a life-threatening systemic reaction occurs, flooding your bloodstream with toxins like potassium and myoglobin that can cause acute injuries to your kidneys, cardiac arrest, and metabolic imbalance.
If you or someone you love was the victim of a crushing injury, you have legal rights. Monge & Associates is here and ready to help you, so give us a call (703) 991-4787 or contact us online today to learn more about the assistance we can offer.
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Crush Injury? – Get Immediate Legal Help to Protect Your Rights
Why Choose Monge & Associates
Monge & Associates is the right place to turn if you suffered a crushing injury because:
- Our team has over 3 decades of legal experience representing victims who were severely injured, including many people who have suffered crush injuries. We understand how to demonstrate the severity of the injuries, and we’ve recovered millions for our clients because we know how to help clients demonstrate the extent of their losses.
- We have negotiation skills and litigation experience, recovering over $1B: We can help clients to resolve claims outside of court through effectively negotiating settlements with insurers, and we also have courtroom experience and have won many large verdicts for our clients who suffered crush injuries.
- We are compassionate advocates. You need a lawyer who will be there for you, to answer your questions and offer support as you navigate the legal system. You can reach out to our firm at any time, and your attorney will be accessible to you, keeping you updated on the progress of your case.
What is a Crush Injury?
A crush injury occurs when one of your body parts becomes trapped underneath or between heavy objects. Being trapped under the weight of a large object could cause severe injury due to the prolonged pressure of the object pressing on muscle, nerves, bones, and skin.
This type of injury can occur if your limbs are trapped under heavy machinery, when objects fall, when equipment collapses, in a car crash, in a farm accident, or after a structural collapse.
Unfortunately, the damages can be very severe. Some of the potential complications include:
- Death: According to research published by the National Library of Medicine, the mortality rate of crush injuries is 80%.
- Crush syndrome: Among the 20% of crush injury survivors, around 10% develop “systemic manifestations known as crush syndrome,” according to the same research. This can result in “severe systemic complications of muscle and end-organ injuries lead to electrolyte imbalances, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury (AKI), disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), dysrhythmias, and sepsis.”
- Internal bleeding: Severe pressure from the crush injury can cause damage to internal organs and rupture blood vessels, causing internal bleeding that can lead to hemorrhaging.
- Nerve damage: When your nerves are compressed for a long time, this can lead to temporary or permanent loss of sensation. It can also result in chronic pain, or even leave the impacted body part paralyzed.
- Compartment syndrome: When your muscles are compressed, they can begin to swell, bringing pressure up to dangerous levels and cutting off blood flow and oxygen. The tissue could quickly die without emergency surgical intervention.
- Amputation: In many cases, amputation is necessary to prevent infection, sepsis, or death if the tissue damage is too severe or if blood flow can’t be restored to the impacted body parts.
Common Causes of Crush Injuries
Crush injuries can occur in any situation when something heavy falls on you or traps you. Some of the most common causes of crush injuries include:
- Construction site accidents involving heavy equipment, such as a tractor rolling over someone’s foot or a worker getting pinned between equipment
- Industrial or factory incidents, such as a worker’s limbs becoming trapped in a machine
- Motor vehicle or truck collisions: If you’re pinned inside your car, trapped by crushed metal, or stuck between vehicles, a crush injury could happen.
- Workplace accidents with machinery or forklifts: If heavy equipment tips onto a worker, pinning or hitting the worker, this could lead to a workers’ comp claim.
- Structural collapses or falling materials: If large structures like homes or buildings collapse or heavy materials such as concrete or steel beams falls into someone, this could lead to crush injuries.
Injuries and Long-Term Impact
Crush injuries can cause long-term damage, including:
- Broken bones, nerve damage, and internal organ trauma: Because your limbs are exposed to so much intense force when they’re trapped under something heavy, you could experience complex fractures, crushed nerves, and organ damage. You may have impaired function and need multiple surgeries to try to recover.
- Risk of infection or loss of limb: When blood flow is cut off to crushed limbs, you could develop severe tissue damage, which can lead to serious infections. Amputation may be the only treatment.
- Chronic pain and permanent disability: Unfortunately, because of the severity and nature of the injuries, you may experience lingering pain and impairment, including loss of sensation, weakness, and reduced mobility.
- Emotional trauma and psychological effects: Being crushed in an accident can have very severe long-term psychological effects, leaving you suffering from PTSD and other emotional trauma.
- A need for surgery, rehab, or long-term care: Getting medical care for your crushing injuries can be very expensive, and lifetime care may be needed.
Who May Be Liable in a Crush Injury Case
If you or someone you love suffers a crush injury, you may be able to take legal action against those responsible. This could include;
- Employers or contractors for unsafe work environments
- Equipment manufacturers for defective machinery
- Property owners for dangerous premises
- Third parties, such as subcontractors or vendors
- Negligent drivers who cause an auto accident to occur
Monge & Associates will work with you to identify anyone who could be to blame for your accident, with the goal of maximizing the compensation you receive.
Compensation You May Be Entitled To
Our legal team will work to help you recover full and fair compensation through a settlement or through court proceedings. You should be made whole, or fully repaid for the damage done, which means your compensation should cover:
- Medical expenses (current and future)
- Lost wages and reduced earning ability
- Pain and suffering
- Rehabilitation and therapy costs
- Disability and disfigurement damages
Why Hire an Arlington Crush Injury Attorney
At Monge & Associates, we will be there for you every step of the way, fighting for justice. Our team can help by:
- Conducting a thorough investigation to prove how your injuries happened
- Finding experts to testify about the cause of your crush injuries and the extent of the damage
- Negotiating on your behalf with insurers and employers who can help in your pursuit of justice.
- Representing you in court to help you maximize your chances of winning your case and getting a large verdict.
Monge & Associates works on contingency with no upfront fees, so you only pay legal costs if we win. We’re focused on securing full, fair compensation for serious injuries, and we have the experience and skill needed to help you navigate the justice system.
Contact Monge & Associates Today
If you or someone you love was harmed, contact our Arlington crush injury attorneys today so we can get to work fighting for you.