Crush injuries are an often overlooked risk that not only applies to people in construction or industrial fields but just about everyone.
Why do they happen? What causes them? What are they, and how intense is the recovery period for victims?
Defining crush injuries
Medline Plus takes a look into crush injuries. Crush injuries involve any scenario in which a person ends up pinned by or between large or heavy objects. For example, someone who gets their leg caught under a collapsed building could suffer from a crush injury. Another person who ends up with their foot run over by a truck may also suffer from a crush injury.
The types of crush injuries that a person suffers from can vary greatly depending on the source of the damage. However, almost every crush injury should get treated as a serious risk from the start.
Potential complications
If left untreated or not treated quickly enough, crush injuries can lead to numerous complications or even death. Victims could experience gangrene, necrosis of the skin, infections, sepsis, and other damage that necessitates amputation. It is also possible for organs to begin failing as they overwork in order to keep up with the strain and demand on the body.
The road to recovery also looks different for every individual. Many people take weeks or months to recover. Some people can take years to return to their former state. Others have to deal with permanent injuries, scarring, limb loss and other damages for the rest of their lives.
This is why many people who suffer from a crush injury seek compensation to afford the medical care they will need.