Common Types of Broken Glass Car Accident Injuries

Understand glass and windshield injuries to avoid lowball settlements

Understanding the risks of glass and windshield injuries is crucial for avoiding lowball settlements after a crash. Broken glass in car accidents can cause serious injuries, such as severe cuts and lacerations, and long-term complications like paralysis or blindness.

Insurance companies often recognize the potential high costs associated with treating broken glass injuries, including the medical expenses and long-term disabilities they can cause. As a result, they may use any excuse to reduce payment or deny a claim altogether, leaving victims with an uphill battle for fair compensation.

Take Fast Action to Protect Your Rights in a Glass Injury Car Accident Claim

This challenging situation makes it essential for victims with crash-related glass injuries to act quickly. Immediate medical attention and thorough documentation are critical for building a strong claim and protecting both health and legal rights. While this may seem overwhelming, victims don’t have to face it alone.

In Texas, a car accident lawyer can investigate the crash, build a strong claim, and negotiate aggressively for maximum compensation, allowing the injured victim to focus on their recovery.

Before you accept a settlement that may be far less than your claim is worth, here’s what you need to understand about glass injuries in a car accident.

Common and Severe Broken Glass Car Accident Injuries

Broken glass injuries are common in car accidents - especially in high-impact scenarios where windows and windshields shatter, such as rollovers, side-impact collisions, front-end collisions, high-speed crashes, and accidents involving larger vehicles like trucks.

In a crash, glass injuries typically happen in one of two ways: direct impact, when a part of the body strikes the glass, or when the body is struck by flying shards resulting from a collision. The majority of severe glass injuries occur during rollover accidents, where the probability of ejection through glass areas is higher. Common types of broken glass car accident injuries include:

Deep Lacerations

Shattered glass from windows or windshields can cause deep cuts, especially when the impact is strong. This can lead to severe bleeding, risk of infection, and need for stitches or surgery in the short-term, while long-term effects may include scarring, nerve damage, and loss of mobility if tendons are affected. Medical treatment may involve stitches, surgical repair, antibiotics to prevent infection, and physical therapy. However, even with treatment, disfigurement, ongoing pain, reduced function in affected areas, and emotional trauma are still possible.

Nerve Damage

Glass shards can sever or damage nerves, especially in the face, hands, or limbs. This can cause immediate loss of sensation or movement in the affected area. Long-term effects might include chronic pain, permanent numbness or weakness, and potential disability. Medical treatment typically involves surgery to repair nerves, physical therapy, and pain management. Despite treatment, victims may face permanent loss of function, ongoing medical expenses, and inability to work in certain jobs.

Eye Injuries

Flying glass can penetrate or scratch the eyes, causing severe damage. In the short term, this can lead to pain, vision loss, and the need for immediate surgery. Long-term effects may include permanent vision impairment or blindness. Treatment options include emergency eye surgery and ongoing eye care, with the potential for prosthetic eyes if vision loss occurs. Even with treatment, victims may face lifelong vision impairment, loss of independence, and need for adaptive devices or assistance.

Facial Scarring

Shattered glass can cause deep cuts on the face, leading to significant scarring. Short-term effects include visible wounds, pain, and possibly the need for reconstructive surgery. Long-term effects may involve permanent facial disfigurement, emotional distress, and social anxiety. Medical treatment often includes stitches, plastic surgery, and ongoing cosmetic treatments. Victims may still experience reduced self-esteem, impact on career opportunities, and ongoing medical costs despite treatment.

Amputations

Severe lacerations or crush injuries from glass can result in the loss of a limb or extremity. This often requires emergency surgery and may involve significant blood loss. Long-term effects include permanent disability, the need for prosthetics, and major lifestyle changes. Medical treatment includes amputation surgery, fitting for prosthetics, physical therapy, and psychological counseling. Even with medical care, victims may face a loss of earning capacity, a need for ongoing care, and a loss of independence.

Infected Glass Wounds

Deep glass cuts can introduce bacteria into the body, leading to serious infections. This can result in swelling, fever, and the need for antibiotics or hospitalization in the short term. Long-term effects could involve chronic infections, sepsis, or even death in severe cases. Treatment typically involves antibiotics, surgery to remove infected tissue, and prolonged hospital stays. Victims may endure extended recovery times, increased medical costs, and risk of further complications despite treatment.

Head and Brain Injuries

Glass can penetrate the skull or cause blunt force trauma, leading to traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This can result in concussion, memory loss, or loss of consciousness in the short term. Long-term effects might include cognitive impairments, personality changes, and difficulty with daily tasks. Treatment options include surgery, cognitive rehabilitation, and long-term care. Despite treatment, victims may face permanent disability, inability to work, and need for ongoing care and support.

Tendon and Muscle Damage

Glass shards can cut deeply into muscles and tendons, particularly in the arms and legs. This can cause severe pain, loss of function in the affected limb, and immediate need for surgery. Long-term effects may include permanent weakness, reduced mobility, and chronic pain, requiring ongoing physical therapy. Even with medical treatment, victims may struggle with difficulty performing daily tasks, loss of job opportunities requiring physical labor, and ongoing medical expenses.

Inhalation of Glass Particles

Tiny glass particles can become airborne during a crash and be inhaled, leading to respiratory issues. Short-term effects might include coughing, difficulty breathing, and potential lung damage. Long-term effects could involve chronic respiratory issues or developing lung conditions like silicosis. Treatment usually involves respiratory therapy or surgical intervention if particles cause significant damage. Despite treatment, victims may experience long-term breathing problems, need for ongoing medical care, and decreased quality of life.

Damage to Internal Organs

In severe crashes, glass can penetrate the skin and damage internal organs. This often results in internal bleeding, organ damage, and the need for emergency surgery. Long-term effects might include permanent organ damage and risk of life-threatening complications. Medical treatment typically involves surgery, hospitalization, and ongoing monitoring of organ function. Even with medical care, victims may face chronic health problems, long-term disability, and high medical expenses.

Psychological Trauma

The shock of a car accident and the pain from glass-related injuries can cause lasting psychological effects. This may lead to anxiety, fear of driving, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the short term. Long-term effects could include chronic anxiety, depression, long-term PTSD, and reduced quality of life. Treatment options include therapy, counseling, and medication for anxiety or depression. Despite receiving psychological care, victims may experience a lasting impact on personal relationships, difficulty returning to normal life or work, and the need for ongoing psychological treatment.

Insurance companies may downplay the severity of these injuries, making it harder for victims to get fair compensation. A Texas lawyer with car accident experience can help prove the extent of injury damage and the long-term impact on the victim’s life, seeking compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and diminished quality of life.

Liability: Who Is At Fault for Car Accident Glass Injuries?

When a car accident involves glass injuries, determining who is liable for the injuries is fundamental to filing a claim. Here’s a breakdown of commonly liable parties and the conditions under which they might be held responsible:

• Other Drivers. If the accident was caused by another driver’s negligence, such as reckless driving, distracted driving, or driving under the influence, they may be held liable for the victim’s injuries.

• Car Manufacturers. Car manufacturers can be liable if there are defects in the glass or the vehicle’s design that contribute to the injuries. This includes faulty window installation, shattering glass that breaks more easily than it should, or design flaws that exacerbate injuries in a collision.

• Vehicle Repair Shops. If a vehicle repair shop performed maintenance or repairs that involved the glass and did so improperly, leading to subsequent injuries, they could be liable. For instance, if a repair shop replaced a windshield incorrectly and it shattered during an accident, causing injuries, the shop may be at fault.

• Government Agencies and Services. Government entities may be liable if poor road conditions, such as potholes or inadequate signage, contributed to the accident.

• Third-Party Vehicle Owners. If a third party, such as a rideshare, company vehicle, or rental car, was involved in the accident and was not properly maintained or operated, the owner of the vehicle may be liable.

Holding Liable Parties Accountable

Claims involving broken glass injuries in car accidents can be complex because they often involve determining fault, assessing the extent of the injuries, and dealing with insurance companies that may dispute the severity of the injuries or the costs associated with medical treatment.

A lawyer can gather evidence to show the full extent of the injury and its impact, negotiating with insurers or taking the case to court to secure fair compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, and future losses.

If you were injured by broken glass in a Texas car accident, contact Coby L. Wooten, Attorney at Law, P.C. in Fort Worth for a free case evaluation. If you choose to hire us, there is no charge for our service unless we win.

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