Can Car Accidents Cause Digestive Problems?

After a car accident, it’s not uncommon for victims to suffer a range of stomach problems that include digestive, abdominal, and intestinal complications. Sometimes, the symptoms are minor. Other times, the symptoms can be more severe, and victims need to seek a doctor or emergency medical treatment. A Bay Area car accident lawyer says if you’re suffering from digestive and stomach problems after a car crash, it could be a sign of acute internal injuries. Be sure to get medical attention as soon as possible to avoid a worsening condition.

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3 Common Injuries That Cause Digestive Problems After a Car Accident

A variety of stomach injuries that cause digestive problems can arise after a car accident. The three most common are:

1. Seat Belt Bruise

Most seat belts are designed with two parts: a lower strap that fits around the waist like a belt, and the upper strap that runs diagonally across the chest. Seat belts have saved countless lives in car accidents, but they can also injure occupants when they’re thrown forward against the belt during the crash. With enough force, the seat belt can leave welts and bruises across a person’s chest and stomach – a condition known as a “seat belt bruise.”

Seat belt bruises are more severe on the lower half across the victim’s stomach. Sometimes, the bruising is immediately apparent following the collision. Other times, the injury might take a few days to fully manifest. The Barnes Firm’s best Bay Area car accident lawyers say the severity of the bruises depends on the intensity of the crash, but these bruises are almost always painful.

Seat belt bruises can be treated with ice therapy and over-the-counter pain medicine. However, car accident victims should seek medical attention if they’re bruised from the accident to prevent internal bleeding or damage.

2. Abdominal Pain or Swollen Stomach

If you’re suffering extreme pain in your abdominal area or if your stomach is swollen, this can be a sign of internal bleeding and damage to one or more organs. This condition isn’t very common after car accidents, but it can occur.

In some instances, swelling and pain in the stomach could mean that your appendix has become inflamed and could soon rupture – a severe condition called appendicitis. In other cases, it could mean that another internal organ, like the gallbladder, has been damaged and is bleeding internally.

No matter what organ is causing your stomach to ache and swell – the condition could be life-threatening and must be addressed immediately. Our Bay Area car accident attorneys suggest the sooner you see a doctor for medical treatment, the less severe your injuries will likely be.

woman suffering from abdominal pain and holding stomach

3. Diarrhea

After a car accident, it’s not uncommon for victims to end up having diarrhea for several days. This symptom can be related to stress caused by the accident, but it could also be a warning sign of a more severe disorder.

Diarrhea symptoms after your car accident could indicate damage to your gastrointestinal tract or your bowels. It could also be the result of the worsening of an existing or emerging case of irritable bowel syndrome.

There are many reasons why car accident victims experience diarrhea in the days following an accident that can be much worse than simply feeling stressed. A car accident lawyer in the Bay Area says you need to be sure to see a doctor if this condition persists or worsens. Your doctor will likely have you take a CT scan to check for damage to your gastrointestinal tract and other organs.

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The one thing these injuries have in common is that a doctor can treat them. If a car accident caused by the negligence of another driver brought on these digestive problems, every medical expense related to your injuries is covered by a personal injury settlement. After seeking medical attention following your accident, contact a trusted car accident attorney to get the financial compensation that you deserve.

At The Barnes Firm, our attorneys are experienced and highly trained experts in handling cases involving car accidents. Our lawyers have received the “Best Lawyers in America” award and many others for their outstanding work in helping car accident victims receive large settlements as compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.

To schedule a free consultation with a car accident attorney at The Barnes Firm, complete an online contact form or call today at (800) 800-0000.

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