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Lung contusions are serious chest injuries that often happen during car accidents. These injuries may not be visible from the outside but can lead to dangerous health problems inside the body. A lung contusion occurs when the lung tissue is bruised, usually from blunt force trauma, causing swelling and bleeding that makes it hard to breathe. Many car accident victims don’t realize how dangerous these injuries can be until symptoms get worse.
Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers helps you take legal action after suffering lung injuries in a crash. We know how these internal injuries impact your daily life. You may face high medical bills, missed work, and emotional distress. You might even need ongoing medical care to recover.
Our goal is to make sure insurance companies take your injuries seriously and cover all related costs, including lost wages, medical expenses, and pain. We fight for accident victims throughout New York, especially in complex personal injury cases involving serious or hidden injuries.
Table of Contents
What Is a Lung Contusion?
A lung contusion is a bruise to the lung, caused by a direct blow or blunt force to the chest, often during a car crash. Unlike cuts or external wounds, this injury happens inside the body. The force damages small blood vessels in the lung tissue, causing blood and fluid to leak into the air spaces. This buildup makes it hard for the lungs to bring oxygen into the blood.
Though there may be no open wound or visible damage, lung contusions are internal injuries that can be very dangerous if left untreated. Many car accident victims do not realize the seriousness of this injury until symptoms become worse, and in some cases, the damage continues to spread within hours of the crash.
These injuries are more common in motor vehicle accidents than most people think and often go hand in hand with other physical injuries such as head injuries, soft tissue injuries, or even spinal cord injuries.
How It Differs From a Punctured Lung or Broken Ribs
A lung contusion is different from a punctured lung or fractured ribs, even though they may happen together in some car accident injuries. A punctured lung, also called a collapsed lung, occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and chest wall. This air puts pressure on the lung, making it hard or even impossible to breathe.
Broken ribs, on the other hand, are injuries to the bone. While broken ribs can be extremely painful and may even cause lung injuries if a sharp edge punctures tissue, they are treated differently from bruised lungs. Lung contusions involve swelling and bleeding within the lung itself, which can impair oxygen exchange, raise medical costs, and lead to long-term complications if not properly diagnosed and treated.
Each of these injuries (contusions, fractures, or punctures) needs different types of medical attention and can increase the total medical expenses after a crash.
Why Lung Contusions Are Common in Car Accidents
Lung contusions are one of the common car accident injuries because of the way the body absorbs impact during a crash. When your chest slams into a seatbelt, airbag, steering wheel, or dashboard, that pressure can crush the lungs even if nothing breaks. In many motor vehicle accidents, the chest takes the brunt of the force, especially for drivers and front passengers.
Even safety devices like airbags and seatbelts (while meant to save lives) can cause blunt force trauma to the chest. That impact alone can bruise the lungs and lead to shortness of breath or worse. These injuries are especially common in car accidents in Queens, where high traffic and sudden stops increase the chance of a strong front-end or side-impact collision.
Because there are no open wounds or broken bones in some cases, insurance companies may downplay these injuries, making it important for accident victims to speak with a queens personal injury attorney as soon as possible.
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How Car Accidents Cause Lung Contusions
Lung contusions are caused by strong impacts to the chest area. These can come from parts of the vehicle or from safety devices. Some common causes found in car accident cases are:
- Seatbelt and Airbag Force Against the Chest: Seatbelts and airbags protect you but can also press hard against the chest during a crash. This strong pressure can bruise the lungs, even if there are no broken bones or outside signs of injury.
- Collision With the Steering Wheel or Dashboard: In many crashes, the driver or front passenger hits the dashboard or steering wheel. These hard surfaces can cause a serious chest injury like a lung contusion, along with other internal injuries or soft tissue injuries.
- Rollover and High-Impact Crash Injuries: Rollover accidents and high-speed crashes often cause blunt force trauma to the body. These events commonly result in severe injuries, including spinal cord injuries, head injuries, or bruised lungs. Victims may not feel symptoms right away, which is why immediate medical attention is important.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of Lung Contusions
Lung contusions may not be clear at first. Some accident victims feel fine until they try to breathe deeply. Doctors must look for signs of chest pain or breathing problems. A fast diagnosis is key to getting the right medical treatment.
Chest Pain and Shortness of Breath
One of the earliest and most common signs of a lung contusion is chest pain, especially when trying to take deep breaths, cough, or lie down. This pain often comes with shortness of breath, as the bruised lung cannot fully expand or move oxygen properly, making even small movements feel difficult.
Coughing Up Blood or Wheezing
Coughing up blood, even in small amounts, is a serious warning sign of internal damage to the lung. Wheezing or noisy breathing may also happen as fluid builds up in the lungs. These symptoms usually mean the injury is getting worse and that you need urgent medical attention to avoid further complications.
Diagnostic Tools: Chest X-rays, CT Scans, Pulse Oximetry
To diagnose a lung contusion, doctors often use chest X-rays to look for areas of bleeding or swelling. A CT scan gives a clearer view of the damage, especially in more severe cases. Pulse oximetry checks how well your lungs are delivering oxygen to your blood, which helps doctors decide how serious the injury is.
Treatment and Potential Complications
Lung contusions require proper medical care to prevent serious health problems. Even if the injury seems mild at first, it can quickly become dangerous without the right treatment. Since these injuries affect breathing, they must be watched closely by medical professionals.
Here's how doctors treat lung contusions and what can happen if the injury is left untreated or becomes worse:
Oxygen Therapy and Pain Management
Most patients with a lung contusion will need oxygen therapy to help them breathe more easily while the lung heals. Supplemental oxygen is often delivered through a mask or nasal tube to improve oxygen levels in the blood. Pain management is also very important.
Without proper pain control, patients may avoid deep breathing, which increases the risk of infection. Doctors often use medications to reduce pain and help the lungs work better during recovery. In some cases, breathing exercises or respiratory therapy may be added to speed up healing and reduce medical costs from extended hospital stays.
ICU Monitoring in Severe Cases
In serious cases, especially after high-impact crashes, patients may be moved to the intensive care unit (ICU) for constant monitoring. Lung contusions that cause extreme swelling or bleeding may lead to low oxygen levels and breathing failure.
ICU teams watch for signs of respiratory distress, organ failure, and worsening symptoms. They may use machines to support breathing or remove excess fluid. These cases often involve other physical injuries like spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, or internal bleeding, making close care essential. ICU treatment may last days or even weeks depending on the severity of the injury and how the body responds.
Risk of Pneumonia, Respiratory Failure, or ARDS
If not treated correctly, a lung contusion can lead to serious and even life-threatening complications. One of the most common is pneumonia, which happens when fluid and infection build up in the lungs. Patients may also develop respiratory failure, which means the lungs can no longer provide enough oxygen on their own.
In severe situations, a condition called Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) may occur. ARDS can cause complete lung shutdown and often requires life support. These complications increase the need for long-term care and drive up medical expenses, making it even more important to include them in your personal injury claim.
Your Legal Rights After Suffering a Lung Contusion in Queens
If you suffered a lung contusion in a car crash, you may be entitled to more than just basic insurance coverage. Even though these injuries are internal, they can cause major health problems, lost income, and long-term pain.
Understanding your rights under New York law is key to recovering full compensation for your physical and emotional losses.
New York’s No-Fault Insurance System
New York uses a no-fault insurance system, which means your own insurance company is required to cover certain costs (such as medical expenses and a portion of your lost wages) regardless of who caused the crash.
However, this system has limits and does not provide compensation for pain and suffering. If your injuries are considered serious under state law, you may be able to step outside the no-fault rules and pursue a separate personal injury claim.
Filing a Lawsuit for Serious Injury
When a lung contusion leads to serious health problems like breathing issues, hospitalization, or long-term medical treatment, it can meet the legal standard for a “serious injury” in personal injury cases.
Once that threshold is met, you can file a personal injury lawsuit against the driver who caused the crash. This allows you to recover damages for things no-fault won’t cover, such as emotional distress, future medical costs, and full lost wages.
Proving Liability and Medical Impact
To win a case outside the no-fault system, you must show that the other driver was responsible and that your injuries are directly tied to the crash. This often involves gathering police reports, medical records, and expert opinions to connect the dots between the crash and your lung contusion.
An experienced queens personal injury attorney will help prove the impact of your injury on your daily life, health, and ability to work, strengthening your claim against the at-fault driver.
Why Lung Contusion Claims Are Often Undervalued
Lung contusions can be serious, but many insurance companies fail to treat them that way. Since these injuries don’t always involve broken bones or visible damage, adjusters may assume they’re not severe. This can result in low settlement offers or denied claims.
A few of the reasons why many lung injury cases are misunderstood or undervalued during the legal process include:
Insurers Downplay Chest Injuries Without Fractures
Insurance companies often treat injuries more seriously when they involve clear breaks or surgical procedures. But a lung contusion (despite being a serious injury) may not show up as obviously on first exams.
If you have no fractured ribs or visible wounds, insurers may argue your injury is minor, even if you’re struggling to breathe, missing work, and facing high medical bills.
Lack of Visible Damage Leads to Denied Claims
Unlike cuts or broken bones, lung contusions are internal and don’t always leave a visible mark. This makes it easier for insurance companies to question your claim or claim you are exaggerating your pain.
Without strong documentation from medical professionals, even clear car accident injuries may be dismissed or undervalued, especially if symptoms appear later instead of immediately at the accident scene.
The Need for Expert Medical Testimony
One of the best ways to prove a lung contusion is through expert medical testimony. A specialist can explain how the impact caused damage to your lungs and how it affects your ability to breathe and work.
In many personal injury lawsuits, this expert opinion can make the difference between a denied claim and full compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and long-term complications.
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FAQs
1. Can I include a lung contusion in my car accident claim even if I didn’t have broken bones?
Yes. A lung contusion is a serious internal injury, even without visible damage. You can include it in your car accident claim, especially if it causes breathing problems, hospital stays, or missed work. An experienced personal injury attorney can help prove how the injury affects your life and make sure it isn’t treated like one of the so-called minor injuries.
2. What if my lung contusion leads to long-term breathing issues or emotional trauma?
If your lung injury causes lasting health problems or leads to emotional trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder, you may be entitled to more compensation. These lasting effects often show the injury is severe. A skilled Queens personal injury lawyer can include both the physical and mental impact in your case.
3. How can a Queens car accident lawyer help with the legal process?
A Queens car accident lawyer helps you through every part of the claims process. They gather medical evidence, deal with the insurance companies, and ensure your story is fully heard. Whether you're facing catastrophic injuries or less obvious ones, they work to secure full compensation and fair legal representation.
4. Can I still sue if distracted driving caused the crash?
Yes. If the crash was caused by distracted driving, such as texting behind the wheel, you may file a lawsuit for injuries caused by someone else’s negligence. A Queens auto accident lawyer or Queens car accident attorney can collect evidence and build a strong case on your behalf.
5. Do personal injury cases settle, or do they always go to court?
Most personal injury cases settle before trial. With strong evidence and support from experienced personal injury attorneys, your case can often be resolved through negotiations. However, if needed, your New York personal injury lawyer can take your case to court and fight through personal injury litigation to get you the results you deserve.
Contact Our Queens Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Consultation
If you suffered a lung contusion after a crash, don’t wait to get legal help. Internal injuries like these can lead to serious health problems, high medical expenses, and time away from work. At Davidoff Law Personal Injury Lawyers, our experienced team understands how damaging these injuries can be, even when there’s no visible wound.
Whether your case involves a single lung injury or other severe conditions like traumatic brain injuries, we’re here to help you every step of the way. We’ve handled many personal injury cases, including those where medical malpractice or emergency care mistakes made things worse. Our goal is to secure full compensation for your physical pain, emotional stress, and financial losses.
Contact us today. We offer free consultations, and you pay nothing unless we win. Let our team fight to get you the care, support, and justice you deserve.
