Be sure you understand the complete impact of your injuries before accepting a personal injury settlement.
Sometimes, people who have been hurt in personal injury accidents fall into the trap of assuming their injuries are too minor to justify legal action. Unfortunately, in some cases seemingly minor injuries can develop into major health problems. This means it is important to keep your options open after an accident that was not your fault, just in case your medical bills—and your need for compensation—turn out to be larger than expected.
Minor Leg Injuries Can Lead to DVT
Bumps, bruises, sprains, muscle tears, and broken bones are all common types of leg injuries that can be experienced in a car accident, pedestrian accident, slip and fall accident, or sports accident. Most of the time, these injuries will heal with relatively little trouble.
However, even a minor leg injury that does not require bed rest or a cast can increase your risk of developing a type of blood clot called deep vein thrombosis (DVT). In one study, as many as 1 in 13 blood clots were attributed to small injuries, such as torn muscles and sprained ankles.
What is Deep Vein Thrombosis?
Whenever a blood vessel is damaged, a clot can form. When this happens near the surface of the skin, it is not dangerous. However, when a clot forms deeper under the skin, it’s known as a deep vein thrombosis. Some symptoms of DVT include:
- Swelling
- Pain or tenderness
- Feelings of warmth
- Redness or discoloration
- Raised veins
These symptoms are not severe in and of themselves. The problem is that a DVT can break loose and move from your leg to other parts of your body. If the clot reaches your lungs, serious health problems will result.
Never Accept a Settlement Until You’ve Reached Maximum Medical Recover
The potential for leg injuries to result in DVT and lung problems—and for other minor injuries to turn more serious due to complications—makes the timing of personal injury settlements very important. Ideally, you will want to wait until you have reached the point of maximum medical recovery before you even file a claim, much less accept a settlement offer. Maximum medical recovery means the point at which you have recovered as completely as possible from an injury. Only at this point will you be able to accurately determine the full impact of your injury on your life. You’ll be able to produce your complete medical bills as well as a record of all your pain and suffering during recovery.
Of course, in some cases, it may not be possible to wait for maximum medical recovery. This might happen in the case of especially serious or permanent injuries. Instead, you will have to file your personal injury claim within the statute of limitations for legal action, which is typically two years after the injury. You can still seek compensation for future damages, including future medical expenses, nursing care, and pain and suffering. However these damages will be based on estimates.
Do You Need Help with a Personal Injury Claim?
If you have been injured due to someone else’s negligence, and you aren’t sure if you should take legal action or not, please call us at 800-333-0000 for a free consultation with a qualified personal injury attorney. We’ll be happy to go over the basics of your case and help you understand your rights and options.
