Shock & Internal Injury After a St. Louis Auto Accident

By Christopher Hoffmann  Oct. 17, 2016 7:26a

Shock could be a sign of serious internal injury after a car accident.

Shock is more than just an emotional outburst of surprise. If you find someone in a state of physical shock after a car accident, you must rush them to the emergency room immediately as it could be a sign of a life threatening injury. Shock often occurs when a serious injury has left the body unable to cope.

Types of shock after a car accident

Shock after a car accident can last for a few hours or even longer depending on the severity of the crash. From a medical viewpoint, shock is a state when the tissues and organs of the body do not receive sufficient blood flow. This creates imbalance in oxygen supply and demand, and affects the organs. In many situations, if this lasts for long, the patient can reach a vegetable state or even die. There are 5 types of shocks that a victim can suffer a car accident. These include:

Cardiogenic Shock

This condition occurs when the heart fails to pump enough blood for the body, and it results in cardiac arrest. This can happen in the event of a crash when the driver or passenger has heart disease. The patient should get immediate medical attention or it can lead to death.

Hypovolemic Shock

Hypovolemic shock is one of the most common life threatening conditions that can result after a car accident. This type of shock occurs when the total blood volume in the body drops below the normal levels. It can happen when the car crash causes severe internal or external bleeding or severe burns. In such cases, the victim can die of organ failure.

Hemorrhagic shock

Hemorrhagic shock is a type of hypovolemic shock in which the body loses more than 20 percent of the blood volume, leading to hemorrhage. This can happen when after a crash, the heart is unable to pump required volume of blood throughout the body.

Neurogenic shock

Neural shocks are not uncommon after a car accident. The crash can lead to neural problems or spinal injuries that can take a long time to recover.

Septic shock

This type of shock rarely occurs in car accidents. The condition is a result of bacterial infection that leads to toxic shock syndrome.

Of all these types of shocks, hemorrhagic shock is the most common following a serious accident. Some signs of shock include:

• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness
• Cold, clammy skin
• Seizures
• Rapid, shallow breathing
• Chest pain

When a person is in shock, it means he/she is not getting enough blood to organs, and efforts should be made to restore blood flow as soon as possible. If not treated immediately, shock can lead to serious damage to the internal organs.

If you or someone close to you suffered from shock following a St. Louis car accident, you may have suffered a serious internal injury. Contact an experienced St. Louis car accident lawyer, who can help you recover adequate compensation for your losses.