Car accidents can lead to a number of serious and long-term injuries, such as chest injuries. If you have suffered a serious diaphragm injury in a Florida car accident, it is critical to attain the immediate assistance of an experienced Miami car accident attorney. At our Law Offices, our team understands what you are going through and can help you in the aftermath of a serious car accident.
The diaphragm is the muscle that separates the chest (thoracic) cavity from the abdomen. It is the main muscle of respiration and plays a major role in breathing, since its contraction increases the volume of the thorax and thus inflates the lungs. Diaphragmatic trauma typically results from penetrating or blunt trauma, with about 80 or 90 percent of blunt diaphragmatic ruptures being due to car accidents. These injuries often require surgical repair. Symptoms of traumatic diaphragmatic injuries may include the following: abdominal pain and discomfort, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain over the sternum or upper abdomen, rapid heart rate, and shallow breathing.
If you or someone close to you has suffered a diaphragm injury in an accident that was not your fault, you may be able to recover damages through a negligence claim. Negligence is a legal concept used to determine fault in personal injury claims. Under Florida law, negligence occurs when a person fails to exercise reasonable care, thereby causing an injury, death, or property damage to another individual. Reasonable care denotes the level of care that a prudent person would have used in the same or similar circumstances. In other words, using reasonable care means engaging in conduct that does not create an excessive risk of harm to others.