Some crash-related injuries will not heal on their own. We often see this with bone fractures, damage to internal organs, spinal injuries and the loss of a body part. This is where reconstructive surgery comes in. The purpose of reconstructive surgery is to repair bones, muscles, tendons, skin, organs and other connective tissue that has sustained trauma during a crash.
People who survive serious crashes often need surgery to make a full or partial recovery. These include (but are not limited to):
- Head-on collisions
- High-speed rear end collisions
- Rollovers
- T-bone crashes
- Truck accidents
- Pedestrian and bicycle accidents
How Reconstructive Surgery Helps Crash Survivors
Here is how reconstructive surgery is used to treat these crash-related injuries:
- Bone fracture repair. When bones are broken into several pieces, surgery would be required to put them back into place. Bones will be held in place with plates, pins, screws and wiring until they heal.
- Back and spine repair. Back and spinal injuries are very common in car wrecks. Some spinal injuries, such as whiplash, often only require chiropractic treatment and rest. Serious spinal injuries, (herniated discs and damage to vertebrae) often require surgery to fix. You may also need several weeks or months of rest after receiving surgery. Spinal surgery often involves removing parts of a herniated disc or vertebrae, injecting acrylic bone cement or fusing two or more vertebrae together.
- Internal injuries. Internal bleeding occurs or internal organs are punctured, crushed or pinched. Surgery is needed in this case.
- Traumatic brain injury (TBIs) treatment. Minor TBIs are treated with rest, pain medication and cognitive therapy. Severe TBIs require brain surgery to fix a fractured skull, stop internal brain bleeding or reduce pressure inside of the skull.
- Soft tissue repair. Surgery is often required to repair torn muscles, tendons and ligaments. You may also need several weeks of rest after surgery.
- Plastic surgery for facial injuries and scars. If you sustained scars from lacerations or burns in a crash, you could be permanently disfigured. Plastic surgery repairs these injuries. Plastic surgery is either reconstructive or cosmetic.
How Can I Afford Surgery After a Crash?
Surgery after a crash can leave you with medical expenses. At the same time, you may be out of work for several weeks or months while you recover. This can be both financially and emotionally devastating for crash survivors and their families.
You might not be sure how you’ll be able to afford to pay for medical expenses and crash-related costs. It’s important that you speak to an experienced car accident attorney who can help you explore your legal options and place an accurate value on your claim.
The legal team at Mike Slocumb Law Firm represents injured motorists all over the United States. We help our clients fight for fair and complete compensation to cover all crash-related losses. We have law offices located in Alabama, Mississippi, Colorado, Texas, West Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. Contact us online to set up your free case evaluation.