Elbow injuries are a risk in a serious car crash

On Behalf of | Jun 30, 2022 | Car Accidents |

In a car crash, there is a risk that you could suffer injuries to your joints and bones. Elbow injuries are among the common injuries that are seen, since your elbow could hit the door or window during the impact. You’re also likely bracing for the crash while holding the wheel, which can put extra pressure on your joints.

The problem with elbow injuries is that they can cause months or years of frustration. They can be difficult to treat and may require X-rays, physical therapy, surgery and medications. After a crash, you need to know the signs of elbow injuries and what to do if one has occurred.

Elbow injuries can have a delayed onset

One of the first things you should know is that elbow injuries can have a delayed onset. At the scene of the accident, you might not feel pain or have much dysfunction yet. Even a broken elbow’s swelling doesn’t set in right away, so it may initially move normally.

As the adrenaline from the car crash wears off, you may start to notice issues, though. You may have a hard time straightening out your elbow. There may be swelling and pain that suddenly comes on, making it very painful to move your arm, rest on that side of your body or relax the joint.

What should you do after you’re in a crash?

After you’re in a crash, recognize that some injuries may not be present right away. For that reason, you should go to the hospital as soon as you can. X-rays and other diagnostic tests can then be used to determine if you have an elbow injury (or other problem) that needs to be dealt with.

Once you seek medical care and know what kinds of injuries you’re dealing with, you can start to receive treatment to help you get your mobility and arm function back. At that point, you may want to start gathering documentation and look into making a claim against the person responsible for the auto collision, so they can cover the cost of your medical care and other financial losses.