Many motor vehicle collision injuries are mild to moderate. With appropriate medical attention, the injured person can likely make a complete recovery. Other injuries may have more serious medical implications. They may put a person’s life at risk. They can also potentially cause permanent medical complications. A degloving injury is one of the most devastating types of traumatic injuries possible in a car crash scenario.
Those who sustain degloving injuries likely need immediate trauma care and are at risk of long-term financial consequences.
What causes a degloving injury?
Degloving injuries are caused by friction and other forms of physical pressure exerted on the body during a crash. For example, a person thrown from a vehicle may sustain a degloving injury when they make contact with the pavement. Degloving separates the skin and its sublayers from the tissue underneath.
Closed degloving injuries do not cause any blood loss and can be difficult to identify after a crash. Open degloving injuries, where the trauma to the skin causes open wounds, can be easier to identify. Degloving injuries expose people to the risk of infection and the possibility of developing compartment syndrome.
Injured people may sustain nerve damage and could be at risk of going into shock. Degloving injuries can be costly to treat. They can also cause lasting medical complications that affect a person’s quality of life and ability to continue working.
Securing appropriate treatment for a degloving injury and then reviewing collision records with a lawyer can be helpful for those with these catastrophic injuries. Insurance alone may not be enough to cover lifetime costs, making a lawsuit necessary in some cases. People with support have a better chance of successfully pursuing compensation for their car crash injuries accordingly.