With advancements in airbags and other safety features, you might not expect to suffer a serious face injury in a car wreck. Unfortunately, the force exerted when vehicles collide is capable of causing extreme harm to any part of your body. If you are dealing with facial scarring or a dental injury after an accident, talking with a lawyer is crucial to pursuing compensation from the negligent party who is liable for your damages.
Causes of Dental and Facial Injuries in Philadelphia Car Crashes
Face wounds are common when occupants of a vehicle strike the dashboard, steering wheel, windshield, or pavement outside the car when ejected during a crash. Shattered glass or even the airbag itself may cause harm to your head during the violent motion of a vehicle collision.
The exact injury from a face wound in a car crash can range from mild bruising to lost teeth and even permanent blindness. It’s entirely possible for the accident to radically change your life while leaving you with astronomical medical bills. Specific facial injuries that may result from a car accident include:
- Avulsed (completely knocked free), cracked, or luxated (loosened but not yet detached) teeth
- Broken nose
- Burns
- Cuts and lacerations
- Disfigurement
- Eye damage
- Fractures to cheekbones, eye sockets, forehead, or the lower or upper jaw
- Soft tissue damage
What to Do After Suffering Dental Injuries in a Vehicle Accident
Facial injuries don’t just come with physical pain, but can also impact everything from your ability to eat food to the basic sense of sight. Disfiguring face wounds in particular come with a significant risk of long-term consequences like emotional distress and lost quality of life. Those kinds of effects massively interfere with your daily life so they clearly need to be part of any compensation, even though they aren’t as simple to quantify as a missed paycheck.
To ensure all of your costs are appropriately considered by the insurer or a jury in a lawsuit, it is critical to take the right actions following any crash. After alerting law enforcement about the accident and getting contact numbers from anyone who witnessed the accident, there are two very important steps you shouldn’t skip.
The first is to take care of your medical condition and visit the hospital, even if you aren’t experiencing any pain. Establishing a record of your accident and screening for internal injuries is extremely important, as some of the worst problems not be apparent at the scene of the crash. Always head to the ER even if your facial injuries seem minor, because you could have an extremely serious traumatic brain injury or blocked airway.
After seeing a doctor, it is crucial to get in touch with an attorney who knows the ins and outs of Pennsylvania personal injury law. Your financial recovery and legal rights are in jeopardy if you try to go it alone when dealing with insurance after a car accident dental injury.
Damages You Can Pursue for Facial Injuries
Dental work in particular often comes with a hefty price tag, and it may not even be covered by insurance in the first place. That’s why you need a lawyer to hold the liable party responsible for their negligence and the physical harm it caused you. Either through a settlement or court case, you can potentially recover compensation for:
- Damage to your vehicle from the accident
- Income you lost while recovering and were unable to work, as well as lost earning potential if the injury prevents a return to your normal job.
- Initial bills covering the ambulance ride, emergency room visit, and time spent admitted in a hospital
- Other medical expenses like dental surgery and medication costs
- Out-of-pocket expenses while seeking dental treatment or rehab services
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation costs
Talk to a Car Accident Lawyer After a Dental Injury
Did you suffer dental or eye injuries in a wreck caused by a negligent driver? You need to speak with an attorney about protecting your legal rights and recovering the full compensation you deserve. Find out if the Heslin Law Firm is the right fit for your case by scheduling a free consultation online here or by calling 215-332-0300.
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