If you have stomach pain after a car accident, whether it occurs immediately or develops over the first few hours, you should see a doctor. While it may be general soreness from the impact of the crash, it could also indicate an internal injury.
When car accident victims suffer injuries that require a medical evaluation or treatment, they can usually pursue compensation to cover these costs by filing an insurance claim or suing the at-fault driver. However, many opt to hire a collision attorney to handle this process and recover their costs.
Stomach Pain and Bruising Many Indicate Injuries to Internal Organs
While there are many reasons why your abdomen may be sore following an accident, there is one major concern you’ll want to rule out: internal bleeding. If any internal organ suffered a laceration, rupture, or another injury, you could be bleeding into your belly.
Internal bleeding is even more difficult to recognize because it often shows no signs until bruising, swelling, and abdominal pain develop hours later. You might easily shrug these symptoms off as soreness, and the condition may become deadly or dire before you seek medical care.
However, any stomach pain should prompt you to see a doctor as soon as possible after a collision to rule out these organs that commonly suffer injuries in a crash:
- Spleen
- Kidneys
- Intestines
- Stomach
- Liver
- Reproductive organs
Complications of Internal Bleeding Can Cause Long-Term Health Concerns
An internal injury can lead to blood loss inside the abdomen, shock, and death. In some cases, the damage to the organ may also affect its ability to function, causing other long-term health issues.
When you see a doctor for your stomach pain, they will likely examine you, check for tenderness, and order medical imaging scans to determine the source of the bleeding. Serious bleeds may require emergency surgery, but many minor bleeds are managed non-surgically if the damage is minimal.
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Building a Case for Compensation Based on Your Stomach Pain and Injuries After a Car Accident
Most states allow car accident victims to pursue compensation in a fault-based case. Therefore, you have the right to hold the at-fault driver responsible for their actions and the injuries you suffered. You can recover a payout based on your losses.
Options for Recovery
An attorney can better explain your options for seeking compensation during a free case review. They will take the unique details of your crash into account. Generally, though, you have two options for financial recovery:
- An insurance claim against the driver’s auto policy
- A lawsuit in civil court
Recoverable Damages
Recoverable damages in a case based on stomach pain or internal injuries after a car crash often involve these expenses and losses:
- Medical assessment and treatment costs
- Lost wages and other income
- Diminished ability to earn if you have lasting disabilities
- Vehicle repair or replacement
- Pain and suffering
What You Need to Prove
To recover compensation, you will need to have evidence to support your claim or lawsuit. This evidence will need to show:
- The driver acted negligently, usually by violating a traffic law and causing the crash
- The driver is legally liable for the accident by way of negligence
- The value of the expenses and losses you suffered, including your noneconomic damages such as pain and suffering
Evidence Necessary to Build a Strong Case
Each accident will have evidence unique to that crash. However, here are examples of the evidence generally used in these cases:
- The accident report filed by police
- Eyewitness statements
- Accident reconstruction
- A survey of the scene
- Photos or videos of the accident or scene
- Medical records
- Bills, receipts, and estimates
Do I Need an Attorney to Handle My Claim?
While there is no requirement to hire a law firm to manage your case, you might want to do so. Car accident attorneys know how to protect their clients’ rights while developing a solid argument and pursuing compensation. You will not have to worry about any of these details when you have a legal team on the case.
Most personal injury firms represent clients based on contingency, so you will not have any upfront fees to pay. The attorneys only receive payment if they recover compensation for you.
Time limits for suing could vary from one year in Louisiana (La. Civ. Code Art. 3492) to two years in Alabama (Ala. Code § 6-2-38) and three years in Arkansas (Ark. Code Ann. § 16-56-105) and Mississippi (Miss. Code Ann. § 15-1-49). However, exceptions exist that could shorten these periods.
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Morris Bart, LLC Reviews Cases for Accident Victims for Free
You can speak with an attorney at the Morris Bart law office closest to you today. Our team operates 15 offices serving Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. We provide complimentary consultations and can answer your questions about your case.
Call (800) 537-8185 to learn how we can help you seek compensation in your car accident case.
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