Abdominal trauma, or Blunt Abdominal Trauma (BAT), occurs when the person’s abdomen collides with another object, causing compression of the abdomen and the surrounding organs, including the stomach, pancreas, kidneys, liver, spleen, and intestines.
Car accidents still happen frequently on US roads, even if the statistics show a decrease compared to the last decades. Even when driving safely yourself, you are at risk of becoming a victim of a car accident. It’s important to know what to do from a legal and medical point of view after such an event.
I would describe this lawyer as highly educated, sharp, and top of his game. Explains the car accident process and treatment options well. The lawyer said if they don’t pay you, we will have the jury take it from the insurance company. Great lawyer. Dynamic person.
Very good car accident lawyer. Gets the job done.
This lawyer is as good as you will find in st. Louis. Call this lawyer if you are in an auto accident. 100% recommended
Interviewed all the TV car accident lawyers and decided to call this law firm that had great reviews. So happy I did. What a difference!
Response from the owner: TV car accident lawyers are just mass production. This is not a good fit for litigated cases. Paralegals instead of lawyers. Monthly quotas for settlements. Car accident victims end up in a cattle call with the lawyers on TV.
Love my car accident lawyer. This law firm is a step above.
Response from the owner: Our lawyers train and track the best approaches on cases. Whether litigation in cases or the practicalities of certain treatment, the growth of our lawyers over time is paramount. Always staying ahead of and setting practice trends. Thank you.
This auto accident law firm is incredible!! Very accomplished lawyers!
Response from the owner: Being labeled “an incredible lawyer” is quite the compliment. We are only incredible if this client is. Thanks.
Serious family member have a car accident injury? Look no further. This litigator is for real. Always two steps ahead of the other lawyer.
Response from the owner: This is a sad reality for car accident lawyers. The #1 passenger in an auto accident is a relative. Helping a family make it through this and putting the family back together is one of the most rewarding things I do as an automobile accident attorney.
This lawyer handles really big accident cases in St Louis. He is a lawyer, accountant and has his masters in tax so he gets the injury cases for individuals that can never go back to work or individuals own a business and cannot run it due to injury. He specializes in valuations of massive loss. Thank goodness a firm like this exists.
Response from the owner: Thank you. When accident are severe and you lose the ability to work or to continue a business, having an accounting and tax background is key. Valuing large losses are second nature for us.
You are a great lawyer! Thank you.
Response from the owner: That is a great compliment. Thanks.
Asked a trauma surgeon who operates on car accident victims who are the best injury lawyers that have taken his deposition. He said “by far” it was Mr Hoffmann. Interviewed several attorneys and this was a correct assessment. In a league of his own!
Response from the owner: Our attorney have deposed nearly all the trauma surgeons at every Level 1 Trauma Center in Saint Louis. These doctors save lives after a car accident. Whether controlling bleeding or reestablishing blood flow or bone structures, they are life savers.
My aunt was in a major automobile accident. Our family interviewed several lawyers. This one stood out about them all. It was a great choice!
Response from the owner: Clients who call consistently say that no other lawyers explained the process like we do. Educated clients do not make mistakes regarding their claim and more importantly their treatment options after a car accident. Thanks. This takes effort and we do this whether we take the case or not. Victims deserve a helping hand.
Few lawyers in St. Louis can handle the biggest injury cases! This is one of them!
Response from the owner: Our law firm has made great efforts in terms of training to handle life changing injury cases. Whether in depth knowledge of the medical, loss of income and earning capacity, or lifetime medical care plans, our clients feel confident and know their case is in good hands. Thank you for the compliment.
Cannot say enough about this lawyer. Call if in an accident. This attorney handles the biggest car accidents in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Ash! Our biggest source of cases is our clients. Our second biggest referral source is defense lawyers telling their relatives to call us. Few lawyers can handle the largest cases. Our law firm welcomes and has trained for this. We don’t do mass production settlement like the lawyers on TV. Our clients can never go back to work. Their cases need massive focus and effort and often long fought litigation.
So glad I called attorney Hoffmann. This time I got it right! So glad I hired the Hoffmann Law Firm - professional, reliable and available.
Response from the owner: Thanks Taylor. Our lawyers answer the phone day, night, weekends and even during lunch. Being professional means training to beat the best defense lawyers. Client rely on us to get results and we do.
Great lawyer. Cares about his clients, knows his stuff and goes the extra mile. I recommend this lawyer for car wreck injury claim. Every other lawyer on TV would not even help with my property claim. This attorney did.
Response from the owner: Thank you for the kind words. Every case starts with a great client. You are correct the car accident lawyers on TV are mass production settlement mills. When injury clients fire them, we get their files and the cases are not worked up at all. Appreciate your confidence in us!
Major car accident injury in St Louis area for a family member. Four different lawyers we know said the same thing - call Chris Hoffmann. On another level.
Response from the owner: This is such a great compliment. Most of our cases come from prior client or lawyers that also do car accidents cases but the particular case is too large or too difficult. Being a lawyer and an accountant, we specialize in cases with total lost of income, earning capacity and/or often the inability to continue a family business. Evaluations such as these are second nature for our lawyers. Thanks.
Best in St Louis for auto accident cases. Nobody else is even close.
Response from the owner: So kind of you to leave this review. Whether our lawyers are going after big insurance or their lawyers, skill and experience are essential and win the day for our auto accident clients. Thanks!
This attorney is very smart, very experienced, returns phone calls and knows the answers when asked. One call and I knew this was a great law firm for auto accidents.
Response from the owner: Our law firm appreciates this. This is a comment we get from so many people who call…”none of the lawyers we called told me all the things that you did.” Whether we take a car accident case or not, helping people is a good thing.
5 Star Lawyer for sure! Best you will find in Saint Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the 5 Star Rating. Reviews like this are great. Injury victims quickly figure out the TV advertisers are not good. We work hard at being the best we can be and it reflects in our representation of car accident victims.
Watch this lawyer in action. Was way better than all the others. Get this lawyer for an automobile accident for sure.
Response from the owner: Thanks for the recommendation. Besides doing cases, our attorneys train for this. Hard work, case knowledge and technique is key to success in car accident litigation.
Very pleased with The Hoffmann Law Firm. Lawyers are attentive, friendly and go the distance to force the settlement you want. The TV lawyers recommend low offers. This law firm gets the maximum.
Response from the owner: We get calls from car accident victims that had to fire the TV lawyers that they hired. They give the same two reasons: 1) they never spoke to a lawyer at the Big TV law firms, only a paralegal, and 2) the paralegal recommended they accept a low offer. At our law firm, you only talk to the lawyer and if an offer is low we tell you to sue. Thanks!
You will love this car accident lawyer.
Response from the owner: You are the best! Thanks for the review. Our attorneys work hard but it all starts with a great client.
Several lawyers said to call this lawyer because he is the best. You will appreciate this law firm. Helped with the injury and property claims. Attentive and knowledgeable. Great reputation in St Louis.
Response from the owner: Thanks Lexi. Our #1 source of cases is other lawyers referring us cases that are too big for them to handle.
Would use this accident law firm. Best in Saint Louis. Highly rated and it shows. After one phone call, you just know this attorney is better. 5 Stars!!
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our lawyers in St Louis. There is a major difference in lawyers as you well know.
Great law firm thanks Leah for the referral
Response from the owner: Appreciate you recommending our law firm. Car accident litigation is all we do and specializing allows us to focus.
Car accident lawyers on tv are not good . Get this attorney ! He is a pro !!
Response from the owner: Thanks Nathan. TV lawyers market for car accidents, use paralegals instead of lawyers and give their employees settlement quotas hence forcing cheap settlements. At our law firm, you get a lawyer who keeps pushing forward for more.
A+ attorney. Smart. Helpful. Great for automobile accident cases. Located in saint louis, missouri. Use him!
Response from the owner: Thanks. Car accident cases are difficult without the right attorney and great clients. Much appreciated.
Quality lawyer. Best law firm for a car accident. Advice was way better than other lawyers I called in St. Louis. Helped with property and injury.
Response from the owner: Thanks. The TV lawyer advertisers are just car accident settlement mills. As soon as people call a real attorney, they always tell us how much better and more helpful we were. Appreciate this.
Get this lawyer if you have an automobile accident. Simply the best!
Response from the owner: Thanks Lizzy. Recommendations from other is the best way to find a car accident attorney.
This lawyer is big time. Smooth. The other lawyers on the other side were not nearly as good as this attorney. I recommend friends in St Louis to him for accident injuries and they all say the same thing…”that lawyer is great.”
Response from the owner: Very nice of you to say. Our lawyers work hard on auto accident cases.
Family used this car accident attorney after a crash. Located in St Louis. This lawyer answers the phone and will walk you through the process. Knows his stuff!
Response from the owner: Taking calls, going over the car accident injury and property process is important. Clients that call always say we are the only lawyers that explained everything. Much appreciated.
Tried the lawyers on TV. They were not good. Hired this car accident lawyer instead because he had great reviews. The reviews are correct. This attorney is as good as they get. He does big injury cases that need to be litigated.
Response from the owner: Car accident lawyers on TV do not litigate cases. It is mass production. They have quotas. Local attorneys are best on auto accidents.
Very very good at injury claims for car wrecks. Use this St Louis attorney. Two thumbs up!
Response from the owner: Thanks for the review! All we do is accidents. When you specialize, your knowledge base and practice skills grow. Thanks!
Used this attorney for an auto accident. Highly recommend this lawyer in St. Louis. Communicates well.
Response from the owner: Communicating with clients is essential. Taking the client though the car accident claims process is important otherwise major mistakes can occur. It is an effort that we make. Thanks!
Best for car accidents in St Louis. Use this attorney.
Response from the owner: Thanks. Great clients make for great cases!
This lawyer is great for car accident injury claims. Did an uninsured motorist case. Very good attorney.
Response from the owner: Car accidents can be insured or uninsured. The claims are much different. Thanks for the review.
Great lawyer if you are in an auto accident. I recommend this attorneys office.
Response from the owner: Thanks J. Glad we got your auto accident case completed and that for telling others about our lawyers.
Very good car accident attorney. Did my and my relatives claims and paperwork. Highly recommend.
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our law firm on car accident cases.
Fantastic law firm, I would recommend! Received free consultation related to an auto accident when my parked car was damaged by a baseball. Very supportive advice, these guys are good!
Response from the owner: Thank you!
Recommend this attorney for auto accidents.
Response from the owner: Thanks for recommending our attorneys for an automobile accident.
Best St Louis lawyer for car accidents.
Response from the owner: Thanks Tana. Appreciate this!
Great Lawyer!!
Response from the owner: Thank you
I was in a car accident in St.Louis and hired Chris as my lawyer. He was amazing!!! He helped me every step of the way and was able to get me a great settlement!!!Highly, highly, highly recommend him!
Response from the owner: Each step is important in a car accident. Thanks for recommending us for car accidents injury claims.
If you have an auto accident and need an attorney in St Louis, I recommend Mr Hoffmann.
Response from the owner: Appreciate this James and you did great as well. Car accident claims always start with a good client.
Great car accident lawyer. Did a very good job on my injury case. Thanks!
Response from the owner: Thanks. Appreciate the compliment. All we do is car accident litigation.
Very accomplished accident attorney in Saint Louis. 5 stars for sure!
Response from the owner: Thanks
A car accident lawyer I would recommend to anyone.
Response from the owner: Thanks. That is great of you to say about our lawyers.
Great car accident attorney!!
Response from the owner: Thanks
Car wrecks can cause a wide variety of injuries, ranging from minor bruises to serious and life-threatening injuries, including traumatic brain injuries. Among all the car accident-related injuries, internal injuries are the ones that are possibly the hardest to diagnose because the symptoms might not show up immediately. These injuries are not immediately apparent to the emergency responders or paramedics at the accident scene or even to the victims themselves. Some of the most common internal injuries that a victim may sustain in a car accident include abdominal injuries. In this post, we will discuss car accident-related abdominal trauma.
Abdominal Trauma – Common Car Accident Injury
Abdominal injuries may include internal tears, bruising, or bleeding, and the condition can be life-threatening if left untreated. Abdominal trauma, or Blunt Abdominal Trauma (BAT) occurs when the person’s abdomen collides with another object causing compression of the abdomen and the surrounding organs including stomach, pancreas, kidneys, liver, spleen, and intestines. This puts excessive pressure on the abdominal wall. Abdominal trauma is a common result of car wrecks, especially those that occur at high speeds, where the force of the collision causes the body to propel forward or sideways into the steering wheel, seatbelt, dashboard, or frame of the vehicle. Abdominal trauma should be treated immediately, or it can turn fatal. Untreated BAT is a leading cause of death among accident victims of all age groups.
As we said, car wrecks are the primary cause of blunt abdominal trauma, but they can also result from motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, pedestrian accidents, slips and falls, and other causes.
Signs and Symptoms of Blunt Abdominal Trauma
The signs and symptoms of blunt abdominal trauma may vary depending on the nature of the injury. It can range from minor bruising to serious internal hemorrhaging. In many car accident cases, the victims might get something often called a “seatbelt sign.” It is bruising on the abdomen along the site of the lap belt. Some other signs and symptoms include:
- Low blood pressure
- Syncope (fainting)
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Pain, fullness, or pressure in the abdomen or surrounding areas
- Abdominal bloating
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Blood in the urine or stool
- Muscle weakness
- Difficulty passing stool
You should seek immediate medical attention if you experience any of these symptoms following a car wreck. If left untreated, blunt abdominal trauma can lead to complications including:
- Ruptured organs and spleen are most commonly affected
- Liver damage
- Kidney damage
- Intestinal tears or fissures
- Injury to major blood vessels
- Damage to the pancreas
- Internal hemorrhaging
- Damage to reproductive organs
- Death
Ruptured Spleen: Symptoms, Treatment, and Compensation after a Car Accident
Patients with ruptured spleens are often the
victims of car crashes, as only a brutal impact can cause such a serious
injury.
Symptoms of a Ruptured Spleen
Even if the spleen is not a vital organ, it plays a very important role in our bodies. The spleen creates white blood cells that fight off infections, so it is part of your circulatory and immune system.
A spleen rupture is a very serious injury that may even lead to death if not treated in an emergency unit. Your symptoms may not seem serious enough immediately after the accident. Also, due to the adrenaline released in your body, you may feel less pain, so it’s very important to see a doctor after a car crash.
Symptoms of a ruptured spleen include:
- Pain in the upper left part of your abdomen or even further from the spleen. Some patients feel pain in their left shoulder and don’t expect their abdominal organs to be the cause of it;
- Low blood pressure can signal trauma to the abdomen, internal bleeding, and shock;
- Nausea and vomiting;
- Bruising in the upper left part of your abdomen, which can indicate internal bleeding or soft tissue injuries that can lead to bleeding a while after the accident;
- Confusion and disorientation;
- Pale skin is often observed in patients who are in shock or who have internal bleeding.
Treatment of a Ruptured Spleen
The treatment of a ruptured spleen includes,
in most cases, emergency medical care, blood transfusion, and even surgery.
Some patients have to go through a splenectomy, which is the total removal of
the damaged spleen.
Depending on the severity of your spleen injury, you might have to go through extensive medical treatments and be medicated against infections and pain. For legal and medical reasons, make sure you see the doctor when suspecting a spleen injury, go to the recommended tests and consultations, and collect medical records of your visits. The costs of your treatment should be covered by the at-fault driver or his insurance company.
Legal Help if You Are Injured in a St. Louis Car Wreck
If you or someone close to you has sustained blunt abdominal trauma in a car wreck, you may be faced with huge medical bills. If your accident was caused due to the negligence of another individual, you may be entitled to financial compensation.
Free Consultation with a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer
Don’t talk to an insurance claims adjuster before speaking with The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. We can help you avoid making statements that may affect the outcome of your case. The consultation is free; you don’t pay unless we get you money!
