Don’t Ignore the Seriousness of Lacerations

If someone was in an accident that said they suffered “a cut,” you may not think much of that—in fact your initial reaction may be that the person got out of the accident without any real serious injury. But saying someone suffered “a cut,” really doesn’t describe the true nature of a serious injury—we’re talking about lacerations, some of which can be very severe and debilitating.

How You Get Lacerations

Remember that you can get lacerations in car accidents and falls; your body doesn’t have to be exposed to any sharp edge to be lacerated. In accidents where the skin is stretched or squeezed or crushed, the skin can be pulled to its maximum elasticity and thus a laceration can happen.

The skin isn’t as strong as, say, a bone—so in an accident where, for example, someone’s body is wedged between the interior parts of a car after an accident their bones may be fine—but their skin can be pulled to the extent to cause a laceration.

Small Lacerations Can Cause Big problems

It’s also often not the size of the laceration that matters, but the depth. You may only see a laceration that is a centimeter or two in length. But if that laceration goes down into the soft tissue, or severs nerves, the laceration can be way more serious than it may appear at first glance.

The other thing to remember is that even a small laceration can grow into a bigger problem, especially for people who may have underlying conditions. Things like diabetes, hemophilia, or peripheral artery disease, can allow what would ordinarily be a smaller, less significant injury, to mushroom into something much more serious.

Lacerations aren’t just cuts and scrapes—in some cases, the skin can come off completely. When someone’s body is dragged on the roadway, the friction can peel off skin. If someone has a limb or appendage caught in the crumpling interior of a car, the skin can peel off. Needless to say, these kinds of injuries—often called degloving lacerations—can be very severe.

Treating Lacerations

Loss of blood and shock are the initial concerns when someone has a laceration injury. But even when these are controlled, there are other, longer term concerns with lacerations.

As you may know if you have ever suffered a laceration deep enough to cause scarring, there can be a long term loss of feeling where the laceration occurred. There can also be a loss of function—scar tissue is not as flexible as normal skin, and so a large area of scar tissue, on a part of the body intended to move, can limit movement and function.

And scar tissue has a cosmetic effect—yes, in some areas of the body, it may be barely visible—but in others, the scarring can cause a long term visual problem, especially for people in industries where looks and appearance are part of their jobs.

Have you suffered a laceration in any kind of accident? We can help. Call the Knoxville car accident attorneys at Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC, for help.

Sources:

webmd.com/first-aid/cuts-or-lacerations-treatment

emedicinehealth.com/cuts_or_lacerations/article_em.htm