Victims of accidents can sustain several different types of personal injuries for which the necessary medical treatment can vary widely. Following an accident, injured victims may simply require a doctor's visit and rest; others may require emergency trauma care and extensive treatment in the hospital. Additionally, accident victims who sustain severe injuries may require one or more surgical procedures to repair the damage.
Types of Injuries That May Require Surgery
Some of the more common injuries sustained in accidents that can require surgery include the following:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) — Although surgery is not always needed for TBIs, it may be necessary to control intracranial pressure from bleeding or swelling to remove blood clots, repair skull fractures and more.
Soft tissue tears — Tearing tendons, ligaments, or muscles can require a surgeon to go in and repair the damage—sometimes even replacing the damaged tissue. Medical procedures, such as rotator cuff surgeries, can require extensive recovery time without the use of that part of your body.
Burns — Serious burns can requires skin grafts and other painful surgical procedures to remove and replace damaged skin. Infections are particularly common in burn victims, especially following a surgery.
Compound fractures — Various fractures simply require immobilization to heal; however, multiple or compound fractures often need surgery to set the bone, insert pins and more. If a bone is completely shattered or crushed, an amputation may be necessary if the bone is not repairable.
Spinal cord injury (SCI) — Spinal surgery may be needed to realign the spine, stabilize the injury section of the spinal cord, remove any disk or bone fragments, fuse parts of the spine, relieve pressure from the SCI, or insert devices to help the spine heal correctly.
Recovery Can be Extensive
Surgery is a serious event that can take a dramatic toll on the body. Even without any unexpected complications, any surgical patient should expect some or all of the following after a surgery:
- Time spent in the hospital for monitoring;
- Pain, soreness, and/or swelling;
- The need for medication and medical supplies upon returning home;
- Time resting from work, exercise, and other daily activities; and
- Follow-up appointments.
Furthermore, whenever you are put under anesthesia and cut open, there are also risks of additional complications that can be life-threatening and may significantly extend recovery time. Complications may include blood clots and internal bleeding, reactions to the anesthesia, infections, or other injuries. You may be at particular risks for complications if you have certain medical conditions going into the surgery.
Consult with an Experienced Green Bay Personal Injury Attorney Today
Surgery and other medical treatments can cause pain and significant limitations and challenges in your life. If you have suffered any type of personal injury in an accident caused by another party's negligence, you deserve full compensation for all of your injury-related losses, whether or not surgery was required. The skilled Appleton personal injury attorneys and Green Bay personal injury attorneys at [[title]] understand how to help you obtain full financial recovery for your injuries and losses. Please call to schedule a free consultation at one of our offices in Appleton, Green Bay, or Oshkosh at 920-739-7366 today.
Sources:
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00406
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/aftersurgery.html