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Yes. A crash can tear organs and blood vessels without breaking the skin, and the bleeding that follows may produce no symptoms for hours or even days. That delay is why emergency physicians image crash patients who insist they feel fine.
Soft tissue damage is the most common type of harm in auto accidents. Internal bleeding shows up less often and carries far more risk, because adrenaline hides it and nobody can see it. A West Palm Beach car accident lawyer can help you tie a delayed diagnosis back to the crash, which is where these claims tend to get contested.
How do car accidents cause internal bleeding?
Blunt force trauma accounts for most of it. A seat belt or steering column stops your torso while the organs inside keep moving, which shears vessels and tears tissue. Common causes of internal bleeding after a crash include a lacerated spleen or liver, broken bones that puncture nearby tissue, torn vessels in the chest, and bleeding inside the skull, which is treated as a traumatic brain injury.
What are the signs of internal bleeding after a car accident?
Symptoms of internal bleeding usually surface hours or days later, once enough blood has pooled to create pressure or pain. Signs of internal bleeding include:
- Abdominal pain, swelling, or a firm and tender belly
- Dizziness, fainting, or loss of consciousness
- Shortness of breath along with a racing pulse
- Sudden headache or confusion, which can point to bleeding in the brain
- Deep purple bruising across the chest or abdomen
- Blood in urine, stool, or vomit
Low blood pressure arrives late. Per NIH clinical guidance, blood pressure often reads normal until roughly 30 percent of blood volume is gone, so a normal number at the scene rules out nothing. By then the bleed can be considered life-threatening, since there is no longer enough blood flowing to supply the organs.
Imaging is what actually finds a bleed. A bedside ultrasound called a FAST exam takes under five minutes to detect free blood in the abdomen or around the heart, and a CT scan follows once the patient is stable enough to move.
How soon do you need to see a doctor after a crash in Florida?
Within 14 days, or you forfeit your no-fault benefits. Florida Statute § 627.736 pays personal injury protection benefits only when you receive initial services and care within 14 days of the accident. With an emergency medical condition diagnosis, PIP covers up to $10,000. Without one, it stops at $2,500. Seek medical attention the same day when you can, since a CT scan is the only reliable way to find a slow bleed.
Can you recover compensation for internal bleeding injuries?
Yes, when another driver was negligent, and your injury clears Florida’s tort threshold. Because Florida is a no-fault state, Florida Statute § 627.737 permits a claim against the at-fault driver for pain and suffering only if the crash caused permanent injury within a reasonable degree of medical probability, significant and permanent loss of an important bodily function, significant permanent scarring or disfigurement, or death. Medical costs and lost wages above your PIP limits do not require clearing that threshold.
Your own share of fault matters separately. Under Florida Statute § 768.81, damages drop by your percentage of fault, and a plaintiff found more than 50 percent at fault recovers nothing.
Why does the insurance company question internal injuries?
Internal injuries leave no mark anyone can photograph, so the medical file carries the entire claim. An insurance company adjuster will measure the gap between the crash date and your first imaging, and a two-week delay invites the argument that something else caused the bleed. Emergency room records and dated imaging results are what close that gap.
Talk with a West Palm Beach car accident attorney
Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath has represented injured Floridians for more than 40 years, from its West Palm Beach office and six others statewide. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay no attorney’s fees unless compensation is recovered.
If you were diagnosed with internal bleeding after a Palm Beach County crash, call (561) 655-1990 for a free consultation or contact us online.