Many people may not realize how dangerous broken windows and glass can become in a car accident. Even car accident victims who survive a car accident almost unscathed can suffer from lacerations and cuts caused by broken glass and windows. Drivers and passengers are at risk of injury from flying shards of glass from broken windows. Additionally, nearby pedestrians, bicyclists, and scooterists are also at risk of damage caused by flying shards of glass. A shard of glass flying at high speed could even kill a driver, passenger, or pedestrian bystander.
If you have been in a recent car accident and suffered an injury from broken glass, you may be entitled to compensation. Whether you were the driver, passenger, or onlooker, you may have a legal claim for damages caused by your injuries. Under North Carolina law, if you have suffered an injury as a result of another person's negligence or recklessness, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries. The skilled North Carolina personal injury attorneys at Arnold & Smith, PLLC can help you fight for your right to compensation. Brad Smith received the Best Charlotte Lawyer award by The Charlotte Observer. Matt Arnold is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, having helped our clients win over one million dollars in damage awards. We can help you determine the best way forward to seek compensation for your injuries.
Common Injuries Resulting from Broken Glass in a Car AccidentThe force of a car accident, even one that happens at a relatively low speed, can result in the windshield shattering. Many new vehicles have shatter-resistant glass, yet windshields can still break. Drivers and passengers are entirely vulnerable to injuries caused by shards of glass. In a car accident, there is no real way to hide from glass shattering and flying around inside the car.
Surface Level LacerationsPerhaps the most common injury caused by shattered glass in a car accident is that of skin cuts, or lacerations. When shards of glass tear or cut the skin, medical professionals must clean the wound and possibly administer stitches to close the wound. While most surface-level cuts are not severe, cuts always come with a risk of infection. Also, if accident victims experience lacerations all over their body, they will experience pain even if the lacerations are merely on the surface of the skin.
Severed LimbsIn some severe cases, a person’s limb could be severed or partially severed by a large piece of glass. If the glass causes a deep laceration, the injured person is at risk of bleeding profusely and going into shock. In extreme cases, a surgeon may need to amputate someone’s limb if the cut becomes infected or is too severe to treat.
Deep LacerationsWhen a windshield shatters in a high-velocity car accident, a glass shard could cause a deep laceration. In some severe cases, the piece of glass cuts into the surface level of skin into the muscle fibers down into the bone itself. Even if the bone does not fracture, deep skin lacerations are serious injuries. When every layer of skin and muscle suffers from the gash, the injured person faces a long recovery process. He or she may need to have surgery and will need to be monitored to ensure that an infection does not set into their deep cut.
Extreme Blood LossIf a shard of glass from the windshield makes a deep laceration into the skin, it could also sever an artery. When an artery is severed, the injured person must receive first aid medical attention. If the artery is not closed up, the injured person could die as a result of too much blood loss. If the shard of glass cuts an artery in the neck or any one of the major arteries that are responsible for the circulation of blood, bleeding out is a severe risk.
Our Experienced Broken Glass Personal Injury Attorneys Can HelpRecovering from a car accident is stressful. Recovering from deep lacerations caused by a shattered windshield can be even more expensive and complicated. At Arnold & Smith, PLLC we care about our client's financial, mental, and emotional health. If a negligent driver caused the car accident that resulted in your broken glass injuries, you might be entitled to compensation. Contact one of our Charlotte, North Carolina car accident attorneys today to set up your free consultation.