Airbags save lives, but can cause injury

There is a common injury that you may not know about that occurs in car or vehicle accidents. It’s a pulmonary contusion which is a bruising of the lung. This occurs most often when the chest strikes the inside of the car. About 70% of pulmonary contusions cases are from motor vehicle collisions or accidents.

When you have a pulmonary contusion, you bleed internally in your lung, the tissue was torn by the blunt force trauma. Torn capillaries leak fluid into the tissues around them. That means that the blood gas exchange that normally occurs in your lungs when you breathe is impaired. Pulmonary contusion is characterized by tiny bleeds. Blood collects in the space which has been separated by your airway structure and then swelling occurs. An area of bleeding is commonly surrounded by swelling (called edema). The larger the area of the injury, the more severe the injury and your ability to breathe.

Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome can occur by an airbag causing pulmonary a contusion in a person who is not properly positioned when it deploys. Caudle JM, Hawkes R, Howes DW, Brison RJ (November 2007). “Airbag pneumonitis: A report and discussion of a new clinical entity”. CJEM 9 (6): 470–473. PMID 18072996. Of course, when you are in an accident there is not time to position yourself before the airbag deploys.

Many people are aware that airbags save lives. However, most people don’t know that they can have an injury that was caused by the airbag. So, if you are having trouble breathing after an accident, don’t hesitate to get medical care. You may be alive, but still injured after a wreck even if you aren’t bleeding on the outside or don’t have broken bones. It’s not uncommon for people to have breathing difficulties caused by an accident.  It’s a serious injury that should have immediate medical care.

________________________
Questions? See my Frequently Asked Questions page. You can also Order FREE my book,

“Seven Deadly Sins That Can Wreck Your Alabama Injury Claim” for more in depth information.

No related posts.

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.