Have you ever seen a crumpled vehicle by the side of the road? Sometimes crash forces are so great that the steel structure of a vehicle no longer remains solid.
If you are inside the car when it crumples (or gets squashed by a bigger vehicle), there is a high probability that if you are not killed outright, you will have serious crush injuries.
Crushing injuries can render a limb useless
A crush injury won’t necessarily amputate a limb immediately, but it may mean doctors need to amputate it anyway because the damage is so extensive that the limb no longer works and, if left alone, could result in a severe infection risk to the rest of the body.
Crushing can affect motorcyclists too
Crushing is of particular relevance to anyone that rides a heavy motorcycle. If knocked off in a collision, the motorcycle may fall on top of them. If not lifted quickly enough, its weight could crush a leg, stopping the blood flow and causing a dangerous build-up of pressure in the specific part of the limb.
Even releasing an affected limb could result in complications. Let’s say others arrive at the scene of a crash a few minutes after it occurs and lift the motorcycle off the person’s leg. If the crushing has been going on too long, there may be a build-up of toxic chemicals lower down in the leg due to the restricted blood flow. Lifting the motorcycle could allow those toxins to travel up the leg and into the rest of the body, resulting in serious consequences.
If you are involved in a crash, it is crucial to seek medical help to assess the full extent of your injuries. Only then can you think about claiming compensation.
