How Your Seat Belt Can Hurt You And Affect Your Claim
Seat belts are meant to keep you safe. However, a seat belt can also lead to you suffering an injury depending on the type of accident you have. If this is the case, you might wonder if you would be able to seek compensation for your injuries such as if you suffer from a contusion. An auto accident attorney is the best professional to ask in this case.
Why Your Seat Belt Injured You
To be effective, a seat belt needs to be tight. However, depending on the force of your accident, the tightness of your seat belt might lead to you becoming injured. In some cases, the injuries might even be life-threatening.
Compensation for Seat Belt Injuries
If you are injured by your seat belt, you will be entitled to compensation from the auto manufacturer only if they were negligent in designing your car. If they are not negligent, you will need to speak with your attorney about whether the other driver was responsible for your injuries. This will require a thorough investigation in some cases if liability for your accident is not obvious.
Damages for a Seat Belt Injury
Bruised and fractured ribs are the most likely injuries resulting from a car accident in which your seat belt injures you. If this occurs, you may be entitled to pain and suffering as a result of the medical expenses you may have while you are in the hospital receiving medical treatments.
You might also suffer from soft tissue injuries in the shoulder and abdomen that might not be immediately obvious. They can cause pain, discomfort, and swelling. Because your injuries might not be immediately apparent, you will not want to immediately claim that you are not injured because this might hurt your case.
Your Medical Treatment
Make sure to do everything that is instructed by your doctor and follow up to describe how you are feeling. You may be simply treating your injuries with rest and ice, but you may later discover that you need casting, a split, or another type of medical intervention.
You will want to write down your experiences as you recover from your injuries due to the car accident. If your case goes to court, the courts will take into consideration how your injuries impact you so that you can receive adequate compensation. If you were not responsible for the accident, you have every right to have your auto accident attorney seek the maximum compensation for your injuries.