Internal Injuries – Causes & Treatment – St. Louis Work Comp Attorney

Many of the work-related injuries experienced by Missouri workers are internal. Protect your right to workers comp from the moment you are injured!

An internal injury is the one that involves damage to the body cavity or abdomen of a person below the surface. In this post, our St. Louis work comp attorney will discuss some of the common internal injuries that people suffer in a workplace accident.

Common work related internal injuries

Internal bleeding: This occurs when a vein or artery inside a person is damaged and causes bleeding inside of the body such as in the chest, abdomen or head. Although the bleeding does not occur externally, it does leave the circulatory system and can be life threatening if not treated promptly.

Kidney injury: Kidneys play the important role of filtering waste from blood. A kidney injury from a penetrating or blunt force trauma can tear or damage the organ causing intense pain, bleeding and even organ failure. Treatment may involve surgery to repair or remove the kidney. If the worker suffers a renal contusion or a bruised kidney, it may take 6-8 weeks to recover. On the hand, if the worker suffers kidney failure he/she may take up to a year to recover.

Ruptured spleen: The spleen is responsible for filtering the blood and fights infection. If the spleen gets ruptured in a workplace accident, blood can spill from the organ into the abdominal cavity and cause dangerous blood loss. A worker who suffers a ruptured spleen may require surgery to remove the organ and multiple blood transfusions.

Liver injury: Liver trauma or liver laceration is among the most common types of abdominal injuries because of the size and location of the organ. Treatment of a liver injury may involve blood transfusions, rest and monitoring. Severe cases may require surgery.

Abdominal injuries: These injuries involve the hollow organs such as small intestine, stomach, ureters, colon and bladder. Tears or cuts to any of these organs can cause intense pain and dangerous bleeding. In severe cases, surgery may be required.

Broken ribs: Each year, more than three million people in the United States suffer a broken rib. Broken ribs are often caused by motor vehicle accidents, falls and in rarely cases, by repetitive motion. These injuries generally take up to 1-3 months to heal, depending on the severity of the injury.

Causes of internal injuries

• Motor vehicle accidents: Serious internal injuries can occur even if the worker is wearing a seatbelt and is not traveling at high speed. Motor vehicle accidents can cause multiple injuries in the abdominal area.
• Falls: Falls from heights can cause internal injury as the victim strikes the ground with great force. These injuries are most common among workers in the construction industry. However, they can also occur in others places of work such as factories and retail stores.
• Penetration: If a worker is penetrated through the abdomen with an object, they will suffer internal injuries.
• Blunt force trauma: This is an umbrella term for injuries caused when an object strikes the body. The trauma can cause broken ribs, abdominal bleeding and ruptured organs.