TEXAS CRUSH INJURY LAWYERS

Crush injuries are often associated with a number of serious complications, including:

Hypovolemic Shock refers to a severe reduction in blood volume. The loss of loss of plasma volume across cell membranes and capillary walls damaged during a crush injury can lead to severe blood or fluid loss. Furthermore, shock (insufficient blood flow to the tissues of the body) can also develop from heart attack following release of electrolytes from the damaged cells. In addition, as a result of the mechanism of injury, blood loss from pelvic or long bone fractures may also co-exist with the loss of plasma or lowered heart rate experienced by victims of crush injuries.

Hyperkaliemia refers to elevated levels of potassium in the blood. This occurs when the disruption of cell membranes due to crush injuries causes a significant release of potassium, a positively charged cation normally contained within the cell.

 

Hyperkaliemia can precipitate cardiac arrest. Potassium, like calcium, is an electrolyte, an inorganic, ion-producing substance essential to the body’s functioning. The concentration of calcium from the blood in injured tissue can lead to a lowered blood calcium levels which may worsen the disruption of the victim’s clotting abilities and increase the potential for shock. Metabolic acidosis may result from that damage that incurs when blood returns to tissue after a long absence. 

Compartment syndrome is a common complication of crush injury. Typically, it is a consequence of edematous tissue injury (excessive swelling as a result of edema, or fluid retention, following an injury), redistribution of fluid into the intra-cellular compartment (the space within an organism's cells) and bleeding. Established compartment syndrome may result in worsened systemic crush syndrome and irreversible muscle cell death.

Acute Kidney Injury occurs when there is a release of a protein as the muscle tissues are compressed and can lead to a condition a breakdown of damaged muscle tissue. Combined with shock, this can lead to acute kidney injury, which in turn contributes to a significantly higher mortality in the wake of a crush injury.