Bruises, Cuts, and Lacerations
Lacerations, cuts, and bruises are all common injuries that can result from another person’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act. Whether it’s a car accident, slip and fall accident at a nursing home or grocery store, or even a defective product that causes the injury, you may be entitled to compensation. Compensation, however, can only be recovered if you can show that:
1. You sustained lacerations, cuts, bruises, internal organ damage, or other injuries; and
2. The injury was directly caused by the defendant’s act or inaction; and
3. The injury is monetarily quantifiable.
The last element is key in these types of injuries. Imagine you are riding your bike and get hit by someone opening the car door. These types of accidents are not unusual and sometimes can result in serious injury but most times only produce a cut or bruise that can be easily addressed with some ice or bandaging. This injury may not qualify as enough to recover serious damages, but you should be certain to get the at-fault party’s contact and insurance information. A bruise or scrape may seem like a simple injury, but sometimes an infection can set in, and if it requires medical attention, you may be entitled to compensation.
But remember: for something like this, you can bet the insurance company will fight it. Speaking with an attorney can help you best decide how to move forward with a claim or no claim. For more serious injuries, you will always want to consult with an attorney about your options because it can be the difference between settling at a lowball figure or getting what you actually deserve.
Can You Get Compensation for Bruises in Los Angeles?
We’ve all had them: bruises. A bruise, also known as a contusion, is skin or tissue that has been discolored due to damaged blood vessels leaking blood. Bruises on the skin result from internal blood vessels bleeding just under the skin. Bruises can be shades of black, blue, brown, purple, and yellow.
Under certain circumstances, you may be entitled to compensation for bruises. Bruises can be the injury itself, but most often in accident-type situations, bruises can be a symptom of more serious injuries, like fractures or internal organ damage. Most of the types of accidents that cause bruising and gives rise to personal injury claims or lawsuits include:
- Assault
- Auto accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Defective products
- Dog bites or animal attacks
- Medical Malpractice
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slips and falls
- Premise liability.
Assault
If you are assaulted, you could have ended up with a lot of bruising. Assault is a crime, but victims can also file a personal injury claim or lawsuit. This is only likely when the alleged assaulter has assets because insurance doesn’t cover injuries due to assault.
Auto accidents
Auto accidents are a big contributor to bruises and severe bruising and complications. Some of the most common types of bruising in auto accidents include:
- Myocardial contusion, where the heart is bruised and otherwise injured and is caused by considerable amounts of pressure over the heart, like the weight of the vehicle;
- Pulmonary contusion, where the lungs and surrounding tissue are bruised and caused by extreme force on the chest area––this injury can materialize over days and weeks as internal bleeding builds and swells; and
- Bruised sternum, where the sternum is bruised or breaks under severe pressure.
When a person is in a car accident, the force of the impact with another object or vehicle can cause serious bodily injury, including bruising. There are several unique characteristics of vehicles that make victims of accidents highly likely to suffer bruises:
- Airbags––meant to save lives, airbags when released inflate instantly and can injure anyone in the respective seat;
- Seatbelts––meant to save lives, seatbelts can cause bruising in accidents where the driver slams on the breaks and the seatbelt quickly tightens as your body moves forward or sideways;
- Steering wheels and dashboard––it’s common for the driver and any passengers to be struck hard enough that they are flung forward and their bodies are pressed up against the steering wheel and dashboard; and
- Windows––it’s common for the driver or passenger to be struck hard enough that their heads are knocked sideways or forwards, striking the window.
Bicycle accidents
A person who is in a bicycle accident may suffer bruises to just about any part of the body, depending on the facts and circumstances. For example, a bicyclist who strikes a skateboarder coming from the side of him on a path may suffer bruises on his arms, elbows, chest, head, and knees––It just depends on how he fell, if he hit anything, where he was hit or landed, and how fast he was going.
Defective products
A product gone wrong can injure a person, and if it was defective due to its design, manufacture, or lack of proper warnings, then you could seek compensation for the bruises and other damages. For example, imagine a pitcher with a handle that detaches when hot liquid is placed in it––if the handle falls off and the pitcher lands on a person’s foot, bruises, as well as other damage, is possible and is compensable.
Dog bites or animal attacks
Dog bites and animal attacks are not always about the bite but the bruise, cuts, and infections. You could have been knocked over or pounced on or whatever else. Any type of strike against the body can cause bruising. If there is a bite, bruises often accompany it. Hematomas can also develop, particularly in dog bites and animal attacks.
Medical malpractice
When a doctor or medical professional performs an operation or surgery and makes an error, bruising could be a symptom of it. For example, if you underwent hernia repair and the mesh was improperly secured and migrated, bruising and internal bleeding can occur.
Pedestrian accidents
Pedestrians can suffer bruises when they get into an accident with a vehicle, a bicyclist, or even another pedestrian. Pedestrian accidents can be quite serious and fatal, given the nature of the accident and the limited protection of the person. Bruising is often indicative of a simple accident (maybe falling after a bicyclist rides too close for comfort and swishes away) but can indicate much more serious injuries in more serious accidents (maybe an accident with a passenger vehicle where the driver didn’t see you attempting to cross an intersection and strikes the pedestrian hard, causing severe internal trauma).
Slips and falls
Slips and falls can happen just about anywhere. In personal injury law, slips and falls are often associated with workplace accidents and premises liability. If you slip on a slippery floor at the grocery store, you are most likely to suffer bruises and other injuries. These bruises are typically shallow bruises that affect only the skin more so than muscle and internal organs.
Speak with a lawyer today. Your consultation is free, confidential, and completely customized to your case.
Can You Get Compensation in Los Angeles for Lacerations and Cuts?
A laceration is a cut in the skin made by a sharp object. Lacerations can occur anywhere on the body, from head to toe, and are common injuries in just about any type of accident, including:
- Auto accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Slips and falls
- Premise liability
- Defective products
- Dog bites or animal attacks.
You can get compensation in Los Angeles for lacerations and cuts but only when they are monetarily quantifiable. They are monetarily quantifiable when, for example, you had to seek medical attention and/or lost earnings because you couldn’t go to work. Location and the extent of the cut makes a difference in terms of how severe the laceration may be. This matters because it will determine what’s compensable and what may not be.
Location of the Laceration
The location of a laceration is important. Some cuts are more prone to infection or other complications given their location, and this can be true whether the cut is shallow or deep. For example, a cut on the head may not appear significant, but head wounds pose a significant risk of secondary infection. A secondary infection can lead to serious and life-threatening conditions. Other areas of the body that are high-stress areas for lacerations include:
- Joints
- Hands
- Feet
- Chest.
A cut in one of the above areas increases the probability that the victim will need medial care.
Superficial versus Deep Cuts
Deep cuts pose a greater risk than superficial cuts, though both have the potential for infection. Superficial cuts only affect the surface of the skin while deep lacerations can affect:
- Blood vessels
- Bones
- Ligaments
- Muscles
- Nerves
- Tendons.
Also, unlike most shallow cuts, a deep wound may require stitches as well as other medical attention. Deep cuts are not cuts you want to address yourself––you will want medical attention. What’s more, the deeper the cut, the more likely there could be some scarring and even disfigurement.
Dirty versus Clean Lacerations
A clean laceration is less likely to require special attention apart from good wound cleansing. Dirty or messy lacerations, especially cuts with jagged edges or debris, will require more attention, and in some cases, it is likely that attention may need to be by a medical professional. You will also want to make sure that you have had a tetanus shot (or will want to get one) because things like dirt, dust, and saliva can increase your chances of a tetanus infection.
Other Complications
Other complications related to lacerations and wounds that can have a direct impact on compensation include things like a wound reopening or not healing properly.
Just & Fair Compensation for Bruises, Cuts, and Lacerations in Los Angeles
If your injuries, like internal organ damage, were caused by another’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional act, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact us so that we can help you find a smart, effective, and compassionate personal injury attorney in the Los Angeles metro area.
