Seatbelts are among the most effective safety devices ever put in a vehicle, and they save countless lives every year. But stopping a body moving at highway speed requires enormous force, and the seatbelt is what absorbs and delivers it, which means the same device that prevents a fatal injury can cause real injuries of its own. If another driver’s negligence caused your crash, a seatbelt injury is compensable like any other.
Get in touch with a car accident lawyer in St. Louis to pursue financial compensation for damages and injuries.
Contact our firm at (314) 300-6260 today.
How Do Seatbelt Injuries Happen?
In a collision, the belt suddenly restrains a body still moving at the vehicle’s speed, concentrating that force across the chest, shoulder, and pelvis, the areas the belt is designed to hold. The faster the crash, the greater the force, so high-speed collisions carry the highest risk of belt-related injury.
High-speed interstate crashes, such as those that occur on I-70, often generate enough force to cause significant seatbelt-related injuries even when occupants are properly restrained.
These injuries also rarely occur alone; they typically appear alongside whiplash, head injuries, and other harm from the same impact.
Common Types of Seatbelt Injuries
The injuries a seatbelt can cause range from visible surface marks to serious internal damage. Common ones include:
Bruising and Abrasions
The most common seatbelt injuries are bruises and friction abrasions where the belt crosses the chest and shoulder. They may seem minor, but surface marks can signal deeper trauma beneath them.
Rib and Chest Injuries
The belt’s diagonal strap concentrates force on the ribcage, causing rib fractures, sternum injuries, and chest wall contusions, painful injuries that make even breathing difficult.
Abdominal Injuries
The belt can drive force into the abdomen, causing internal bleeding, organ damage, and intestinal injuries. These are among the most dangerous seatbelt injuries because they can progress silently.
Spinal Injuries
Less common but potentially serious, the sudden restraint can cause compression injuries and herniated discs in the back.
Why the “Seatbelt Sign” Is Important
Doctors have a name for the distinctive bruising a belt leaves across the chest or abdomen: the seatbelt sign. It matters because it’s more than a bruise; research links it to a significantly higher likelihood of internal injuries, including organ damage and internal bleeding.
Anyone with visible belt bruising should be medically evaluated immediately, even if they feel fine, because the internal injuries the sign predicts often produce no symptoms until they become emergencies days later.
What Should You Do If You Think You Have a Seatbelt Injury?
A few steps after the crash protect both your health and any claim that follows. If you believe the seatbelt injured you:
- Seek medical attention promptly, even if the bruising seems minor
- Follow all treatment recommendations from your doctors
- Photograph visible bruising or abrasions while they’re fresh; seatbelt marks fade, and photos preserve the evidence
- Keep records of medical bills and missed work as the costs accumulate
- Avoid minimizing your symptoms to doctors or anyone else, since understatement in your records becomes the insurer’s evidence later
- Speak with a personal injury attorney in St. Louis as soon as possible to determine if you have a case against a negligent party
These steps aren’t necessarily that complicated, but they’re incredibly important if you’re trying to build a claim and protect your health.
Facing a Seat Belt Injury? Let Us Help
A seatbelt injury often means the device did its job, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that you’re still left with serious injuries. The driver who created those circumstances is the one responsible for the harm, and our law firm helps Missouri accident victims recover the full cost of their injuries.
Call today or contact us online for a free consultation and get answers about your claim.