Being in a car accident in South Florida can result in many serious injuries, including spinal cord trauma, head injuries, broken bones, and more. One of the dangers of these injuries is that you can develop serious complications, such as deep vein thrombosis.
The risk of complications is serious, because complications can cost you even more in medical care, can delay your return to work, and can even threaten your life. It’s important to get compensation not just for all your injuries, but the complications you’ve suffered, too. If you have been injured in a traffic collision in South Florida, don’t delay in contacting Flaxman Law Group to set up a free consultation with a South Florida car accident claims attorney. Let’s talk about how we may be able to protect your future.
What Is DVT?
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition where a blood clot forms in a vein. DVT can affect any deep vein, but usually affects the legs or pelvis. The danger is that blood flow can become blocked, damaging tissues. If the blood clot becomes dislodged and travels to the lungs, it can cause death.
DVT is usually associated with long periods of inactivity, such as sitting on an airplane during a long flight. However, it’s also a common risk after car accidents, because you may be immobile for a long time while waiting for your injuries to heal. In addition, the impact of a car crash can cause damage to the veins and blood vessel walls. The accident injuries can also cause inflammation. All these risk factors can cause DVT.
If you have DVT, you might notice symptoms in one part of your body, such as a thigh or calf. You might experience the following in that one area:
- Red or blue skin discoloration
- Pain, especially when you move or stand
- Sudden swelling
- Warmth
- Bulging or enlarged veins
Sometimes, there may be no symptoms at all, which is why it’s important for medical teams to monitor you if you’ve suffered a serious injury, especially if you’re immobile for a while.
Sometimes, symptoms of deep vein thrombosis are very subtle, which is why you’ll want to keep a close eye on your symptoms. If you notice any sudden or gradually developing new symptoms, report them to your doctor immediately. They could be signs of a complication.
What Happens If I Have DVT After a Car Accident?
You should consider DVT a medical emergency because of the life-threatening risk of a blood clot traveling to your lungs. DVT can also cause a serious condition known as post-thrombotic syndrome, which can result in swelling, skin conditions, and severe pain.
Depending on your medical condition, your doctor may recommend any of the following treatments for your blood clot:
- Blood thinners to prevent clots from growing or forming.
- Thrombolytic drugs to dissolve large clots.
- Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, which are devices inserted into the vein so the blood clot in the vein can’t travel to the lungs.
- Compression stockings to reduce swelling and to prevent blood pooling in the veins (which can be a risk factor for blood clots).
If you’ve suffered a blood clot after a serious car accident, it can be useful to determine whether medical malpractice played a role. For example, if you needed surgery, did your doctor or nurse explain the risk of blood clots and encourage movement to reduce the risk?
Whether medical malpractice played a role in your complications or not, if you have suffered any injury after a car accident in South Florida, we invite you to contact us at Flaxman Law Group. If you’ve suffered any complication after your initial injury, especially, we invite you to call 866-352-9626 any time, 24/7, to arrange a free consultation with a South Florida car accident injury attorney. Your consultation gives you the opportunity to ask questions and to find out more about your potential claim could be worth, or even if you have a claim.