Fractures of the Orbital Floor
Cars are a part of daily life for many people. On the other hand, cars can also be very dangerous. Even though most people do not assume that they are going to be involved in a car accident when they back out of their driveway, these accidents can happen when people least expect them. Based on some of the statistics by Driver Knowledge:
- More than 70 percent of car accidents result in property damage.
- Over 5 percent of car accidents result in a fatality.
- More than a quarter of all car accidents lead to serious injuries.
These numbers show that car accidents can drastically impact the lives of many different people. There are many different traumatic injuries that people could sustain in a car accident and, unfortunately, some of these could lead to lifelong complications. One type of injury that often gets overlooked in discussions is fractures of the eye socket.
Mechanism of Injury: Damage to the Eye Socket
There are several ways that people can damage their eyes in an accident. Some of these include:
- A penetrating injury to the globe of the eye.
- Blunt trauma to the head or neck area.
- A hemorrhage of the blood vessels of the eye.
Sometimes, blunt trauma can even lead to serious bone fractures of the eye socket.
Treatment of Orbital Floor Fractures
If someone has suffered a fracture of the orbital floor, there are several symptoms to watch for. These include:
- The air underneath the skin due to damage to the sinuses called subcutaneous emphysema.
- Double vision, also called diplopia, due to misalignment of the eyes.
- Severe pain over the affected area.
- A feeling of pressure behind the eye.
This injury is usually assessed using a CT scan. Based on the results of this image, a surgeon could recommend an operation to repair the bones. Often, people spend a significant amount of time in the hospital after the repair. This gives physicians time to watch for potentially severe complications that could occur.
The YouTube video below demonstrates an orbital floor fracture repair. Warning: the video contains graphic images. Viewer’s discretion is advised.
Help from a Stockton Personal Injury Law Firm
When a loved one has sustained serious injuries in a traumatic accident, family members might be wondering how they can help. Under these circumstances, family members are likely feeling a high degree of stress. No family should ever have to go through this process alone. Because of this, it is important to meet with a personal injury lawyer in Stockton. A trained legal adviser has the experience necessary to guide a family through this difficult situation. The injured party may be entitled to financial compensation for medical expenses (past and future), pain and suffering, wage loss (past and future) and other damages.
Stockton Personal Injury Attorneys
I’m Ed Smith, a personal injury lawyer in Stockton. Fractures of the eye socket are always medical emergencies. If your family member has suffered serious injuries in a car accident, call me at (209) 227-1931 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
I am a California member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
You’re welcome to see our past verdicts or settlements cases and their outcome.
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Fractures of the Orbital Floor: AutoAccident.com
Image Attribution: The photo at the start of this article is seen in its original form on Pixabay. The image has been reproduced here with permission/Fractures of the Orbital Floor.
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