Rupture of the Ileum in an Auto Accident
Car accidents are a significant problem and impact the lives of numerous families every year. While every accident is different, even the most minor of motor vehicle collisions can lead to serious injuries and fatalities. Therefore, it is essential to take steps to prevent these deadly traumatic events from occurring in the first place. Based on some of the information that has been published by the Insurance Information Institute (III):
- In 2013, frontal airbags saved the lives of more than 2,700 people over the age of 13 in 2016.
- Seatbelts saved the lives of close to 15,000 people in 2016.
- Additional child safety restraints saved more than 300 children under the age of 5.
Even though it is a positive sign that these safety measures are saving lives, there are still people who survive auto accidents yet have serious injuries. These injuries could lead to complications that impact them for the rest of their lives. One such injury is a rupture of the ileum, which can be fatal if not identified quickly.
What is the Ileum?
The ileum is one of the terminal segments of the large intestine. As the digestion process occurs, there are several essential functions of the ileum. This includes:
- Reabsorbing water from food to prevent dehydration.
- Absorbing nutrients that are important for bodily processes.
- Moving waste through the intestinal tract toward the rectum.
The ileum sits beneath the abdominal musculature and is prone to suffering a severe injury with both blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma. If an acute injury occurs, it could lead to a rupture of the ileum. This is a medical emergency because it might be life-threatening.
Treatment of a Ruptured Ileum
While seatbelts can save lives, this doesn’t completely prevent all injuries from occurring. With severe trauma, the wall of the ileum could tear. When this happens, fecal matter leaks into the intestinal cavity. This can cause several symptoms, which include:
- Severe abdominal pain that gets worse with movement
- Significant bruising on the abdominal skin
- Possible bleeding from the site of the injury
- Sweating
- Difficulty breathing
- Contracted abdominal muscles
- Fainting
These symptoms develop because fecal matter is leaking into the abdominal cavity, causing septic shock. Individuals displaying these symptoms need emergent medical care with intravenous fluids, possible antibiotics, and might even need to have surgery. If not treated quickly, it could lead to death.
Contacting a Lawyer
It can be challenging to face the unfamiliar landscape of a serious injury following a motor vehicle accident. Families could be confused about how the accident happened and have questions about what is going to happen next. Because of this, meeting with a car accident injury lawyer is helpful. A trained attorney is able to help families by:
- Working with professionals to reconstruct the mechanism of the accident.
- Reviewing police records to make sure that the fault has been assigned to the appropriate party in the collision.
- Helping families pursue damages that are related to their emotional pain and their physical injuries.
- Negotiating with insurance companies and filing paperwork with the court system, if necessary.
Families should not feel like they have to face this tough situation alone. Rely on the experience of a car accident lawyer in Sacramento.
Sacramento Car Accident Lawyers
I’m Ed Smith, a car accident lawyer in Sacramento. A rupture of the ileum could lead to septic shock, which could be life-threatening if not quickly corrected. If someone you care about has been hurt in a car collision, call me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly advice.
I am a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
For a glimpse at our past cases, you can go to our verdicts or settlements page.
Visit Avvo, Yelp & Google to see our past client reviews.
Rupture of the Ileum in an Auto Accident: Autoaccident.com
Image Attribution: Pixabay.
:dr 0p cha [cs 655] cv