An inhalation injury does not always appear right away after a car accident, especially if you have sustained other injuries. A medical professional is needed in order to diagnose the injury. Many people with inhalation injuries need long-term rehabilitation.
Inhalation injuries often result from prolonged exposure to steam or smoke from a fire. Inhaling particular corrosive chemicals can result in inhalation injuries as well. Some of these injuries can be debilitating or fatal.
Most deaths from fires occur from inhalation injuries, not burns, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). In order to prevent an inhalation injury from a car accident that caused a fire, it is best to exit the vehicle immediately.
What Are the Symptoms of Inhalation Injuries?
Medical help will be paramount if you have been exposed to a car accident involving a fire, especially if you find yourself coughing, sustaining burn injuries around your face and chest, and if you are sore in your throat and chest.
Other symptoms of smoke inhalation injuries include:
- Nausea
- Difficulty breathing
- Headaches
- Changing of your skin tone
- Seizures
- Weakness and fainting
- Coma
- Eye damage
Doctors and specialists will be able to examine your body and diagnose your condition. An imaging test will likely be administered to verify that you have sustained an inhalation injury, along with examining the severity of the damage.
How Are Inhalation Injuries Treated?
Treating an inhalation injury can be done in a number of ways. Some common treatments include:
- Incubation
- Medications like bronchodilators and anticoagulation medicines
- Oxygen therapy
These medical treatments are not cheap, and getting your life back on track could possibly take time. Often, damages from inhalation injuries involve lost wages, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
Discussing your case with a knowledgeable lawyer will help you explore your legal options. Compensation will be contingent upon the specific details of your case, and the best course of action is to seek legal guidance.
Chester County Car Accident Lawyers at Eckell Sparks Can Help You Get Your Life Back on Track if You Have a Collision-Related Inhalation Injury
Our Chester County car accident lawyers at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. can help you if you have an inhalation injury because of a negligent motorist. Call us at 610-565-3701 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation today. We are located in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, and we serve clients throughout Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.