Crush Injury Lawyer in Indianapolis, IN

A crush injury can leave victims with complications that last a lifetime. As the name implies, crush injuries happen when a foreign object pins down a part of a person’s body for an extended period. Catastrophic injuries often result in amputations or permanent disabilities. Sadly, the worst cases of crush injuries prove fatal.

If you suffered a crush injury in Indianapolis, you could be entitled to compensation. You need a strong legal representative to pursue money from the responsible party or their insurance company. Turn to the personal injury attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. Our legal team helps the wrongfully injured recover the money and justice they deserve after accidents caused by someone else’s negligence.

Founded in 1999, our attorneys have earned the trust and praise of our clients through decades of attentive service, successful strategies, and relentless advocacy. Contact Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC today for a free consultation with an experienced Indianapolis crush injury lawyer.

What is a Crush Injury?

A crush injury occurs when a person’s body or a part of their body gets compressed with extreme force. It could happen when a limb gets caught or squeezed between two objects, is run over by a heavy object, or is smashed against a stationary object at a high velocity. Crush injuries often stem from car accidents, truck accidents, workplace accidents, construction zone accidents, bike crashes, and pedestrian collisions.

Crush injuries can affect the middle of the body or an extremity, such as a hand, finger, or foot.  In torso crush injuries, the trauma can damage vital organs and lead to life-threatening internal bleeding or organ failure. Victims with torso trauma can deteriorate rapidly and need immediate medical treatment.

Crush injuries to an extremity can range from minor to severe. Common extremities affected by crush injuries include:

• Finger – Minor crush injuries to the finger can cause swelling, lacerations, and fractures. Severe finger crush injuries may require amputation.
• Hand – The human hand contains 27 bones, 34 muscles, over 100 ligaments and tendons, and many more blood vessels and nerves. Crush injuries to the hand can cause temporary or lasting damage to any of these delicate structures and may result in permanent loss of function or amputation.
• Foot – The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Crush injuries to the foot can result in multiple broken bones and soft tissue injuries, often requiring multiple surgeries to repair adequately. Victims with foot crush injuries often face months of recovery and must use assisted walking devices such as an orthopedic boot, crutches, walker, or wheelchair.

What to Do After a Crush Injury

The priority for emergency medical services (EMS) or bystanders in the immediate aftermath of a crush injury should be freeing the victim from entrapment. Once removed from the crushing mechanism, paramedics must act quickly to control bleeding, administer fluids, and provide basic life support to the victim.

Once the victim stabilizes, attention should turn to protecting their legal rights and preserving evidence for a future personal injury claim they may wish to file. You should:

• Document the accident and injuries– As soon as possible, a crush injury victim, family member, or legal representative should collect key evidence from the accident scene. This includes pictures of the injury, the source of the injury, and anything that provides context about what happened. Photographs will illustrate the extent of the injury and the harm caused by the at-fault party’s negligence.
• Seek medical treatment– Most crush injuries require immediate medical attention. Even if the damage seems under control, any crush injury can cause lasting damage and have unexpected complications. Getting prompt medical care will create an objective record of the injuries and their link to the accident on the victim’s medical history. These records form the foundation of any personal injury claim.
• Contact a crush injury lawyer– Taking legal action can be overwhelming when you’re recovering from a severe injury. Victims can benefit from hiring a skilled crush injury lawyer who can investigate the accident, gather evidence, and negotiate aggressively for maximum compensation while they recuperate.

Complications of a Crush Injury

After the immediate injury, crush injury victims may suffer several complications, some of which are easier to treat than others. Many crush injury victims will experience rapid swelling or bleeding at the injury site, which must be treated promptly.

More severe complications include:

• Crush injury syndrome– Also called rhabdomyolysis, crush syndrome is caused by metabolic changes stemming from prolonged damage to skeletal muscles following a crush injury. Crush injury syndrome can lead to sudden kidney failure from the overwhelming build-up of waste products in the blood. Without immediate attention, victims can die.
• Nerve damage – Extended compression on the nerves due to a crush injury can have long-term effects on communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Depending on the location and extent of the nerve damage, a person could suffer from muscle weakness, trouble sensing pain, cramping, twitching, and other problems.
• Chronic pain – People may experience pain long after a crush injury heals due to nerve damage, arthritis, and scarring.
• Ambulatory and challenges – Individuals who suffer permanent loss of function or amputation will have to learn new ways of doing daily tasks, caring for themselves, and earning a living. They may also require prosthetics and assistance from a home healthcare worker.
• Mental health disorders – A crush injury is a traumatic experience for the body and mind. It’s not uncommon for victims to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression.

Due to the high risk of complications, many crush injury victims require ongoing medical treatment and aftercare, which gets expensive fast. An experienced crush injury lawyer can accurately quantify your long-term needs and pursue maximum compensation from the at-fault party if you’ve been hurt.

Contact a Crush Injury Attorney in Indianapolis Today

If you or a loved one suffered a debilitating crush injury in Indianapolis, you do not have to deal with the consequences alone. If someone other than you is responsible for the accident that harmed you, the attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC can help you seek full compensation for your losses.

Our proven legal team provides personalized, effective legal representation to every client, and we deliver results that count. Call or contact us today for a free consultation with a crush injury lawyer.