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Indianapolis Internal Injuries Lawyer – Fighting for Victims of Internal Trauma

Internal injuries are among the most dangerous injuries you can suffer in an accident. Unlike a broken bone or visible wound, internal bleeding and organ damage often don't show obvious external signs. Victims may feel "fine" after an accident, only to collapse hours later from undiagnosed internal bleeding.

According to trauma medicine research, internal injuries are a leading cause of death in motor vehicle accidents, falls from heights, and other high-impact trauma. Indiana trauma centers treat thousands of internal injury cases annually, many requiring emergency surgery to save lives.

Whether you suffered internal injuries in a car crash on I-465, a truck accident on I-70, a fall at an Indianapolis construction site, or an assault, you deserve compensation for the full impact of these devastating injuries. At Emerson Divorce and Accident Injury Attorneys, our Indianapolis internal injuries lawyers understand the severity of these cases and fight for maximum compensation.

Headquarters in Carmel with offices in Fishers and Zionsville—serving internal injury victims in Indianapolis, Hamilton County, and throughout Indiana.

Free consultation: 317-969-8000

Watch: Understanding Internal Injury Claims in Indianapolis

What To Do After Potential Internal Injuries

Get Emergency Medical Care

1. Go to the ER immediately: After any significant trauma (car accident, fall from height, assault, crushing injury), go to the ER even if you feel fine. Indianapolis-area trauma centers include IU Health Methodist (Level I), Eskenazi Health (Level I), and Ascension St. Vincent (Level I).
2. Request thorough evaluation: CT scans and other imaging can detect internal injuries not visible externally.
3. Be honest about the accident: Tell doctors exactly what happened so they know what injuries to look for.
4. Stay for observation if recommended: Internal bleeding can develop over hours—observation may save your life.

Monitor for Delayed Symptoms

Return to ER immediately if you experience: Abdominal pain or swelling, dizziness or fainting, blood in urine or stool, vomiting blood, severe headache, confusion, shortness of breath, or chest pain.

Protect Your Legal Rights

5. Keep all medical records: Internal injury treatment is complex and expensive—document everything.
6. Report the accident: File police reports or incident reports. For Indianapolis accidents, obtain reports from IMPD.
7. Don't give recorded statements: Insurance adjusters will minimize your injuries.
8. Contact an attorney: Under Indiana law, you have only two years to file. Internal injury cases are valuable and complex.

Common Causes of Internal Injuries in Indianapolis

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Vehicle crashes are the leading cause of traumatic internal injuries:

• Car accidents: Seatbelt injuries to abdominal organs, steering wheel impacts, high-speed collisions causing organ damage
• Truck accidents: The massive forces in semi-truck collisions on I-65, I-70, I-465 cause severe internal trauma
• Motorcycle accidents: Direct impacts without vehicle protection cause devastating internal injuries
• Pedestrian accidents: Pedestrians struck by vehicles suffer severe blunt force trauma

According to Indiana State Police data, Marion County's high-speed highways see numerous fatal and serious injury crashes involving internal trauma.

Falls from Heights

Falls from significant heights cause internal injuries through:

• Abdominal organ damage from impact
• Internal bleeding from ruptured blood vessels
• Lung injuries (pneumothorax)

Construction falls, ladder falls, and falls from scaffolding are common causes in Indianapolis-area workplaces.

Workplace Accidents

• Construction: Falls from heights, struck-by accidents, crushing injuries
• Manufacturing: Equipment accidents, crushing injuries
• Warehousing: Forklift accidents, falling merchandise in Plainfield, Whitestown, Indianapolis logistics centers

Assaults

Physical attacks can cause internal injuries including:

• Blunt force trauma to organs
• Stab wounds causing internal bleeding
• Gunshot wounds

Civil claims may be filed against attackers and property owners with inadequate security.

Types of Internal Injuries

Abdominal Organ Injuries

• Spleen laceration/rupture: Most commonly injured abdominal organ in trauma. Can cause life-threatening bleeding. May require removal (splenectomy).
• Liver laceration: Highly vascular organ—severe bleeding risk. May require surgery or, in severe cases, liver failure.
• Kidney damage: Contusion, laceration, or shattered kidney. May require removal (nephrectomy).
• Bowel perforation: Hole in intestines—causes peritonitis (life-threatening infection). Requires emergency surgery.
• Stomach perforation: Stomach contents leak into abdomen—surgical emergency.
• Pancreatic injury: Difficult to diagnose and treat. Can cause life-threatening complications.
• Bladder rupture: Often from seatbelt injury or pelvic fracture.

Chest Injuries

• Pneumothorax (collapsed lung): Air leaks into chest cavity. May require chest tube or surgery.
• Hemothorax: Blood in chest cavity—may require emergency drainage.
• Cardiac contusion: Bruised heart from steering wheel impact or CPR.
• Aortic injury: Damage to main artery—often rapidly fatal if not diagnosed.
• Pulmonary contusion: Bruised lung—causes breathing problems.

Internal Bleeding

• Intra-abdominal hemorrhage: Bleeding in abdominal cavity from organ damage
• Retroperitoneal hemorrhage: Bleeding behind abdominal organs—often from kidney or pelvic injuries
• Intracranial hemorrhage: Bleeding in brain—see Brain Injury

Pelvic Injuries

• Pelvic fracture with internal bleeding: Major blood vessels run through pelvis—fractures can cause massive hemorrhage
• Bladder/urethral injuries: Often associated with pelvic fractures

Warning Signs of Internal Injuries

Seek Emergency Care Immediately If You Experience:

Abdominal Internal Injury Signs

• Abdominal pain or tenderness
• Abdominal distension (swelling)
• Bruising on abdomen (especially seat belt sign)
• Nausea or vomiting
• Blood in urine
• Blood in stool or dark/tarry stool
• Vomiting blood

Chest Internal Injury Signs

• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Coughing up blood
• Rapid or irregular heartbeat

General Signs of Internal Bleeding

• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Fainting
• Rapid pulse
• Low blood pressure
• Pale, cold, clammy skin
• Confusion
• Extreme thirst

The Delayed Symptom Danger: What Insurance Companies Don't Want You to Know

Critical Warning: Internal injuries often don't cause immediate symptoms. You may feel fine at the accident scene, refuse an ambulance, and collapse hours later from undiagnosed internal bleeding. ALWAYS get checked out after significant trauma.

Why Symptoms Are Delayed

• Adrenaline: Post-accident adrenaline masks pain and other symptoms
• Slow bleeding: Some organs bleed slowly—symptoms develop as blood accumulates
• Delayed rupture: Some organs develop delayed rupture hours or days later
• Swelling: Internal swelling and inflammation develop over time

The "Felt Fine" Problem

Insurance companies love to point out that you "felt fine" after the accident or refused ambulance transport. But medical literature is clear: internal injuries frequently present with delayed symptoms. The fact that you declined transport doesn't mean you weren't injured—it means the injury hadn't manifested yet.

What This Means for Your Case

• Always seek medical evaluation after any significant trauma
• Follow up immediately if any symptoms develop
• Your medical records can show the progression of symptoms
• We work with medical experts who can explain delayed presentation to juries

Internal Injury Treatment

Emergency Treatment

• Fluid resuscitation: IV fluids to maintain blood pressure
• Blood transfusion: Replacing lost blood
• Imaging: CT scans to diagnose injuries
• Monitoring: Close observation for deterioration

Surgical Intervention

• Exploratory laparotomy: Surgery to explore and repair abdominal injuries
• Splenectomy: Removal of ruptured spleen
• Liver repair: Suturing liver lacerations, partial removal if needed
• Bowel repair/resection: Repairing or removing damaged intestine
• Nephrectomy: Removal of damaged kidney
• Thoracotomy: Surgery to address chest injuries
• Damage control surgery: Emergency stabilization followed by planned follow-up surgeries

Indianapolis-Area Trauma Centers

Indiana's Level I trauma centers provide the highest level of care:

• IU Health Methodist Hospital (Level I)
• Eskenazi Health (Level I)
• Ascension St. Vincent Indianapolis (Level I)
• Riley Hospital for Children (pediatric trauma)

Long-Term Effects of Internal Injuries

Potential Permanent Consequences

• Organ loss: Living without spleen (increased infection risk), kidney, or portion of liver
• Organ dysfunction: Reduced kidney function, liver problems
• Chronic pain: From adhesions, nerve damage, or ongoing complications
• Digestive problems: After bowel surgery—short bowel syndrome, malabsorption
• Infection susceptibility: After splenectomy—lifelong increased infection risk
• Need for ongoing monitoring: Regular follow-up with specialists
• Potential future surgeries: Adhesions, hernias, complications

Life-Care Planning

For serious internal injuries, we project lifetime costs including:

• Ongoing specialist care and monitoring
• Medications and supplements
• Potential future surgeries
• Vaccinations and prophylactic antibiotics (post-splenectomy)
• Treatment for complications

Compensation Available in Indianapolis Internal Injury Cases

Economic Damages

• Medical expenses: ER, trauma surgery, ICU stay, hospitalization, follow-up care
• Future medical care: Ongoing monitoring, medications, potential surgeries
• Lost wages: Extended time off during recovery
• Lost earning capacity: If permanent complications affect work

Non-Economic Damages

• Pain and suffering: Internal injuries cause severe pain
• Emotional distress: PTSD, anxiety, fear of complications
• Loss of enjoyment of life: Activity limitations, dietary restrictions
• Permanent impairment: Organ loss, reduced function

Case Values

• Internal injuries (conservative treatment): $75,000-$200,000
• Surgery required: $200,000-$500,000
• Organ damage requiring removal: $400,000-$1,000,000
• Multiple organ injuries: $750,000-$2,000,000+
• Permanent organ dysfunction: $1,000,000-$5,000,000+

The Legal Process for Indianapolis Internal Injury Claims

Indiana Law: What You Need to Know

• Statute of Limitations: Under Indiana Code § 34-11-2-4, you have 2 years from injury date
• Comparative Fault: Under IC § 34-51-2-6, recovery reduced by your percentage of fault if less than 51%
• Workers' Compensation: Workplace injuries governed by IC § 22-3

Where Cases Are Filed

• Marion County Superior Court: For Indianapolis accidents
• Hamilton County Superior Court: For Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville

Related Injury Types

• Broken Bones
• Brain Injury
• Spinal Cord Injury
• Burn Injury

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Practice Areas