Stomach Pain After a Car Accident

Car accidents can cause a wide range of injuries, including less obvious ones like stomach pain. While some injuries are immediately apparent, others may take time to manifest. Even if you feel fine, you should always seek prompt medical attention after a collision to rule out delayed or internal injuries.

This article explores common causes of post-accident stomach pain, symptoms to watch for, and what your legal options are if you’re injured in a car accident.

Learn how to recognize and address stomach pain following a collision and when to seek professional medical and legal help.

Common Causes of Stomach Pain After a Car Accident

Many car accident victims suffer stomach pain following a car accident. If your stomach hurts after a crash, you should seek medical care to help understand the cause of the pain and prevent serious complications. Abdominal pain can be an indication of serious injuries.

Seatbelt Trauma

A seatbelt is a life-saving device; however, if not worn properly, it can sometimes lead to bruising, abdominal injuries, cuts, and burns. Depending on its placement during the accident, the seatbelt can also cause fractures to your chest, ribs, or sternum.

The force of the impact can cause your body to press against the seatbelt. In some cases, the band across your stomach can cause damage to your abdominal organs. Seat belt syndrome can be delayed, but if you start to feel abdominal pain, seek prompt medical care.

Internal Bleeding

It can be tempting to write off bruising as normal after an auto accident. However, it can be a symptom of internal injury or bleeding. If your abdomen is swollen, bruised, and tender, you could have internal bleeding.

The blunt-force trauma of the car accident, seat belt syndrome, and more could cause internal bleeding. If you’re experiencing stomach pain, seek medical treatment to rule out more serious conditions.

Organ Damage

You may face organ damage after a car accident. Abdominal trauma can damage the liver, spleen, and intestines. There can be various causes of these injuries, including seat belt syndrome, hitting hard surfaces, getting hit by moving objects, and more.

Organ damage can be fatal if not cared for promptly. It can cause harmful toxins to be released throughout your body, internal bleeding, sepsis, and shock. Seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing severe stomach pain.

Symptoms to Watch For

If you’re experiencing stomach pain or other abdominal trauma after a motor vehicle collision, here are some common symptoms to look out for. If not treated, they could cause serious injuries.

Sharp Pain vs. Dull Ache

Crash victims often feel two types of abdominal pain.

• Sharp: It almost feels like you’re being stabbed. The pain feels sharp, sudden, and intense and may cause you to double over.
• Dull: It’s more achy and persistent, almost like you are sore. This type of post-accident abdominal pain may feel more tender.

The pain you’re experiencing can indicate different types of injuries, and a doctor can help you understand the cause of your abdominal pain.

Nausea and Vomiting

Crash victims experiencing nausea or vomiting may indicate more serious internal injuries. You could be suffering from:

• Traumatic brain injury from hitting your head
• Internal injuries from blunt-force trauma
• Stomach injuries, including muscle strain, organ damage, and more from the impact

These symptoms may indicate a more significant issue that may require medical treatment to resolve.

Bruising or Swelling in the Abdominal Area

Bruising and swelling in your abdominal area can indicate hidden internal bleeding. These symptoms, often accompanied by tenderness and pain, may result from seatbelt trauma or blunt force impact during the collision.

It’s crucial to have a medical professional examine any abdominal bruising or swelling following a crash to assess the extent of the soft-tissue injury and rule out potential complications.

Serious Conditions That Could Cause Stomach Pain

Car accidents can cause life-long medical conditions, especially if they are not properly cared for.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the body’s main artery, the aorta. If the aneurysm ruptures, it could cause life-threatening bleeding. While rare, abdominal aortic aneurysms are serious conditions that require immediate medical intervention.

If you feel persistent abdominal pain, back pain, side pain, or pulsating sensations by your belly button, seek immediate medical evaluation to help rule out an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Hernias

A car accident can strain or tear your abdominal muscles, leading to a hernia. It can also make existing hernias worse, causing severe abdominal injury.

Hernias may not be immediately apparent. The symptoms may be delayed or misdiagnosed as other conditions. To help speed up the diagnosis, share with a medical professional if you have a history of hernias.

Intestinal Injuries

A car crash can cause intestinal injuries, especially if you face any crush injuries during impact. Your internal organs can become perforated or blocked, which can cause stomach pain, fevers, chills, nausea, and more.

You may need surgery to address intestinal injuries, which is why you need to address your pain quickly to prevent permanent damage.

When to Seek Medical Attention

If you experience stomach pain after a car accident, seek prompt medical care. This gastrointestinal distress can include:

• Sharp or dull pain
• Bruising, swelling, tenderness
• Blood in stool
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

Do not delay treatment, as it could have serious and life-threatening consequences.

Treatment Options for Abdominal Injuries

Depending on the type of stomach injury, various treatment options are available.

• Surgery: Some stomach injuries sustained may require surgical intervention to heal the damage.
• Physical therapy: You may need physical therapy to strengthen your abdominal muscles and back after a car crash.
• Medicine: You may need to take medications to treat infections or help manage pain from stomach injuries.

A doctor can help you understand what your best treatment options are for any abdominal injuries that you suffered from a car accident.

Legal Rights and Compensation for Car Accident Injuries

If you suffer from stomach pain after a car accident, you have legal rights. You may be entitled to compensation to help cover medical expenses, pain and suffering, lost wages, and more. An experienced car accident attorney can help you understand your options.

Filing a Personal Injury Claim

After a car accident, you want to take the following immediate steps at the scene:

• Report the accident. Call 911 after the accident to get a record of the accident.
• Document the scene. Take pictures or video footage. Exchange contact and insurance information with the other drivers. Get witness statements that can corroborate your version of events.
• See a doctor. Seek medical evaluation and treatment for any physical injuries you sustained during the motor vehicle accident. The medical bills will create a record of the event, which will be helpful for your claim.
• Report the accident to your car insurance company. Share information about what happened and the other driver’s information.
• Consult a personal injury attorney. Personal injury attorneys can help you navigate your legal options.

The more evidence you have to support your claim, the better. Seeking legal advice early can help ensure you’re protected throughout the process.

How a Lawyer Can Help

Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers are your advocate throughout the entire process. We can provide the following services.

• Navigate the complex legal system: There are many nuances to personal injury law, and a Chicago car accident attorney from our team can help work the system to your advantage.
• Maximize compensation: We negotiate with insurance companies and opposing counsels to help ensure you get fair compensation for your injuries. Our Chicago personal injury lawyers will not settle for less than the minimum agreed-upon settlement, even if it means going to court.
• Protect your rights: Your lawyer is your voice throughout it all. We help protect your rights and put you first through the legal journey.

You don’t have to go through the process alone; an experienced personal injury lawyer from our team can help you secure compensation.

Secure Expert Legal Counsel!

Stomach pain can indicate more severe injuries following a car accident. If you experience delayed onset injuries, such as abdominal pain, bruising, tenderness, nausea, and more, you should seek immediate medical evaluation.

When you’re ready to take legal action, Rosenfield Injury Lawyers are here to help. Our experienced car accident attorneys will help you get justice and secure maximum compensation for your injuries.

Call us at (888) 424-5757 for a free consultation, or fill out our contact form to get started!

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.