The Difference Between Critical, Serious, and Stable Injuries After a Car Accident in South Carolina

A car accident in South Carolina can cause various injuries. We hear about these crashes all the time, and news organizations are constantly informing us about injured passengers. While reading or listening to these reports, you might hear journalists using words like “critical,” “serious,” or “stable” when describing auto accident injuries. But what do these words actually mean? What can you do if one of these crashes has harmed you or someone you love?

What Are Critical Injuries After a Car Accident?

The most severe injury category is “critical.” These injuries are life-threatening. When first responders say that a victim’s condition is critical after a car accident, there is a chance the victim will not survive. Even if first responders rush the patient to the hospital, they may subsequently pass away while receiving treatment. This is unfortunately quite common after car accidents in South Carolina.

Examples of critical injuries include spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), excessive blood loss, and amputations. Severe fractures may also qualify as critical injuries, especially if a patient suffers multiple broken bones in a single car accident. People often lose consciousness after experiencing critical injuries. First responders may use defibrillators, CPR, and ventilators in order to restore a patient’s life signs.

What Are Serious Injuries After a Car Accident?

Some doctors and first responders use the words “serious” and “critical” interchangeably. Others make a distinction between the two terms. According to some sources, “serious” injuries are less severe than “critical” injuries. Although both types of injuries are associated with unstable life signs, there is generally a better chance of survival for those who suffer serious injuries. It is difficult to predict how serious injuries will develop, and doctors often label these injuries as “critical” at a later date.

What Are Stable Injuries After a Car Accident?

According to WebMD, mainstream medicine discourages doctors from using the word “stable” when describing injuries. However, we often hear this word in news reports. The term “stable” does not necessarily mean that a patient’s condition is less serious. “Stable” simply means that the injury is no longer getting worse. Doctors may “stabilize” a patient’s life signs, but the chance of death could still be relatively high.

Stable injuries can still be life-altering. For example, a patient’s condition might stabilize after a surgeon amputates their leg. However, this patient will still encounter life-altering consequences as a result of their car accident.

Can a South Carolina Auto Accident Lawyer Help Me? 

Whether you or someone you loved suffered critical, serious, or stable injuries, medical treatment should always be a priority. You should not have to pay your own medical costs, especially if you didn’t cause the accident. If someone else is to blame, you should also receive compensation for lost income, emotional distress, and other damages. An experienced auto accident lawyer in South Carolina may be able to help. Contact Mickelsen & Dalton, LLC today to learn more.

Sources: 

wjbf.com/csra-news/aiken-county-crash-leaves-20-year-old-dead-two-others-critically-injured/

webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/defining-patient-conditions