Facial Injuries in a Pedestrian Accident
A Walnut Grove pedestrian suffered facial injuries on March 26 after being struck by a motor vehicle. The accident was reported at about 1:42 in the afternoon along River Road, between Theater Road and Depot Road. The report issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) gave no description of the vehicle that struck the walker. Emergency personnel with the Sacramento Fire Department arrived at the scene to assess the pedestrian’s injuries. No information was given on which hospital that person was transported to. The CHP is in charge of an investigation into the accident.
Types of Injuries
Facial trauma relates to mouth, jaw and face damage. More than 70 percent of all such injuries come from a motor vehicle accident. They range from simple to complex lacerations or cuts. Such injuries can also involve broken teeth, jaw and facial bone fractures. These fractures can be to the upper or lower jaw, the palate, eye sockets or cheek bones.
How Injuries to the Face Happen
Common causes of facial damage are:
- Hitting the face against the windshield or shattering it
- Striking the steering wheel
- Hitting the dash
- Face being hit by the air bag
- Contact of the face with a side window
- Facial trauma from shattered glass
Symptoms
The following symptoms are seen immediately after an injury to the face:
- Swollen face
- Misshapen face
- Facial pain
- Cuts on the face
- Difficulty breathing
- Visual problems
- Difficulty swallowing
- Problems talking
- Bruises, particularly around the eyes, behind the ears or under the tongue
- Numbness in the face
- Facial tingling
- Widening of the area between the eyes
- Infections of the skin
Diagnosis of Facial Injuries
The medical and physical history is an important document. It points to any activity responsible for the injuries. A medical professional will conduct this exam. Facial X-rays and a CT scan are done to pinpoint the site of injury. Often, a CT scan will show if there was any traumatic damage to the brain.
Treatment for Facial Damage
Some facial injuries can result in life-threatening damage that requires immediate treatment. The type of treatment depends on the injury. For fractured jawbones to heal, they must be aligned and held in place. Healing could take six or more weeks. It is difficult to align facial bones. Often, the bone is exposed and wired together. This may require braces to be fastened to the teeth to hold them in place. Wires or rubber bands are used to hold the braces in place. Individuals who experience either full or partial tooth loss often require extensive dental work. Insurance may not cover all cosmetic types of dental replacement. Many times, people must remain in the hospital while they are being treated. It is necessary to be on a special diet while these injuries heal since chewing food may not be possible. If facial lacerations are severe, reconstructive surgery may be needed to rebuild the face.
After Facial Injury
Social and psychological issues accompany the physical damage in an accident where the face is injured. Besides eating, seeing and breathing, our face is important in terms of self identity. This can affect a person’s career, life and marriage. Bottom line is such injuries are life-altering in many cases. With extensive surgery, the facial structure may be rebuilt. However, this surgery is expensive. It is important to see an injury lawyer who will help in collecting damages that will pay for medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. Loss of life enjoyment can also be recovered as well as mental anguish. There may be severe psychological stress involved with sustaining a facial injury. An experienced personal injury attorney can often provide valuable resources to help deal with this issue.
Risk of Facial Damage
Those who do not wear seat belts are at a high risk for injury to the face. This is because without a seat belt the person may hit the windshield and shatter it. Shattered glass can cause lacerations. Head on collisions lead to many facial injuries. Usually, those in the back seat have the highest risk because of the lack of safety devices in the back. In some cases, the air bag can be defective and cause serious injuries. In other cases, air bags have exploded and sent metal shards flying about the car’s compartment. Most damage to the face is caused by side-impact collisions. This is because there are few safety devices there.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident lawyer. Damage to the face can cause serious and long-lasting trauma. Because of the expense involved in treating these injuries, the help of an injury lawyer is invaluable. Call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free and friendly advice. You can also reach me online.
I’ve helped many individuals hurt in an accident recover the damages they deserve. Some areas include all types of car accidents, wrongful deaths and brain injuries among others.
I belong to the National Association of Distinguished Counsel, where lawyers who provide legal excellence are admitted. I am also one of the attorneys belonging to the Million Dollar Forum. We have won more than $1 million for a client.
Read more about my practice at the following links:
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