Internal Injury Attorney After a Dallas Crash

Get a Free Case Review

SERIOUS ATTORNEYS FOR SERIOUS INJURIES

Practice Areas

FREE CONSULTATION
five-stars-BBGgold

Chandler Ross is the best hands down! You can not go wrong with these attorneys!

— Tracy P.

A crash on I-35E near downtown Dallas or along US-75 through the Denton County corridor can leave you walking away thinking you’re fine, only to discover hours or days later that something is seriously wrong inside your body. Internal injuries are among the most dangerous outcomes of a car accident because they often produce no visible wounds. No cuts, no broken bones you can see, no obvious sign of trauma. Yet inside, organs may be bleeding, rupturing, or failing. If you or someone you love suffered an internal injury after a Dallas crash, the personal injury lawyers at Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys in Denton, Texas are ready to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

Table of Contents

What Are Internal Injuries and Why Are They So Dangerous After a Crash?

Internal injuries happen when the force of a collision damages organs, blood vessels, or tissues inside the body without breaking the skin. A high-speed crash on the Dallas North Tollway, a violent T-bone at an intersection near the Denton County Courthouse, or a head-on collision on Highway 380 can all generate enough force to cause serious internal trauma. The danger is that your body may not signal the problem right away.

Blunt force trauma in accidents can cause severe internal injuries, often without visible external signs. Broken ribs can puncture the lungs, while abdominal trauma can damage organs like the spleen, liver, or intestines. These injuries can be life-threatening within hours. Internal bleeding is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. A ruptured spleen or perforated intestine can lead to complications that demand surgical intervention.

Common internal injuries seen after Dallas-area crashes include damage to the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, and the abdominal aorta. Common internal injuries from car accidents include abdominal aorta injury from significant compression, broken ribs that harm blood vessels and lungs, internal bleeding from torn vessels, organ damage in high-impact crashes, pneumothorax where a rib punctures the lung, and ruptured spleen which often leads to severe internal bleeding.

Some internal injuries can be difficult to detect without a thorough diagnosis. A perforated intestine or colon, for instance, may cause minimal pain but can lead to rectal bleeding and other symptoms. This delayed presentation is exactly why you must go to an emergency room immediately after any significant crash, even if you feel okay. Do not wait to see how you feel the next morning. The stakes are too high.

Warning Signs You May Have an Internal Injury After a Dallas Crash

Recognizing the warning signs of an internal injury can save your life. After a crash anywhere in the Dallas metro or along the Denton County roads, your body may give you clues that something is wrong internally. Symptoms can include tenderness, deep pain, bruising under the skin, limited movement, hematoma, and blood in urine. These signs demand immediate emergency care.

Seat belt injuries deserve special attention. Seat belt injuries often take the form of internal injuries or pelvic damage. If you feel any soreness or pain after a car accident, it is wise to seek medical attention immediately. Prompt treatment can help prevent the progression of internal organ damage or internal bleeding. The seat belt saves your life in a crash, but the force it exerts across your abdomen and chest can still cause serious harm to the organs underneath.

Other warning signs include dizziness, fainting, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and abdominal swelling. Shoulder or neck pain that seems unrelated to the crash impact can also point to internal bleeding, particularly a diaphragm injury. If you were in a rollover, a side-impact collision, or a crash involving a commercial vehicle on I-35E near the Denton area, the risk of internal injury is significantly higher due to the forces involved.

Do not dismiss these symptoms as soreness or stress. Go to the emergency room, get a CT scan, and let doctors rule out organ damage. Your medical records from that visit become critical evidence in your personal injury claim. Waiting even a few hours can worsen your condition and also create gaps in your documentation that insurance adjusters will use against you later.

Texas Law and Your Right to Compensation for Internal Injuries

Texas law gives you the right to pursue full compensation when another driver’s negligence caused your internal injuries. Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 33.001, Texas follows a proportionate responsibility system. You can recover damages as long as your percentage of fault does not exceed 50 percent. If a jury finds you 20 percent at fault for a crash, your total recovery is reduced by that 20 percent, but you still collect the remaining 80 percent.

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, a person must bring suit for personal injury not later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues. That two-year deadline applies to internal injury claims arising from Dallas crashes. Miss it, and you lose your right to sue, regardless of how strong your case is. Internal injuries are particularly tricky because symptoms sometimes surface days or weeks after the crash. Texas does recognize the discovery rule in certain circumstances, which can affect when the clock starts, but you should never rely on that exception. Contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Your recoverable damages can include past and future medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, pain and suffering, and other losses. If your internal injury results in a fatality, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 71.002 allows surviving family members to bring a wrongful death action. Compensation for fatal car accidents in the Dallas area can include both economic and non-economic losses for the surviving spouse, children, or parents.

Under Texas Transportation Code Section 601.151, drivers involved in collisions that result in bodily injury are required to carry financial responsibility coverage. That coverage is the source from which your compensation is typically paid. A car accident attorney can help you identify all available insurance coverage, including underinsured motorist policies, that may apply to your internal injury claim.

Building a Strong Internal Injury Claim After a Dallas Crash

Internal injury cases require solid evidence because the injuries are not visible to the naked eye. Insurance adjusters will scrutinize your medical records, question the severity of your condition, and look for any reason to minimize your payout. Building a strong claim starts at the crash scene and continues through every medical appointment that follows.

The crash report is one of your most important pieces of evidence. Under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.065, any person involved in an accident has the right to request a copy of the official crash report (CR-3 form) from TxDOT. This report documents the facts of the crash, including fault determinations, witness information, and road conditions. Your attorney can use this report to establish the other driver’s negligence.

Medical imaging is equally critical. CT scans, MRIs, and ultrasounds are the standard tools doctors use to identify internal bleeding and organ damage. Body scans and hospital monitoring are standard for internal injuries. Time matters with internal injuries, so err on the side of getting checked fast. Keep every medical record, every bill, and every prescription. These documents form the financial backbone of your compensation claim.

Witness statements, dashcam footage, and surveillance video from businesses near the crash site in Dallas can all strengthen your case. A car accident lawyer who handles internal injury cases knows how to gather this evidence quickly before it disappears. Expert medical testimony may also be needed to explain the long-term consequences of your organ damage to a jury or insurance adjuster. The stronger your evidence, the better your position when it comes time to negotiate a settlement or take your case to trial.

Why You Need Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys for Your Internal Injury Case

Internal injury cases are not simple. They involve complex medical evidence, aggressive insurance defense tactics, and significant financial stakes. The medical bills alone for a ruptured spleen or liver laceration can reach tens of thousands of dollars, and that does not account for follow-up surgeries, lost income, or the lasting impact on your quality of life. You need a legal team that takes these cases seriously from day one.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys serves clients throughout Denton, Dallas, and the surrounding North Texas communities. Whether your crash happened on I-35E near Denton’s Loop 288, on the Dallas North Tollway, or at a busy intersection near the University of North Texas campus, our team is familiar with the roads, the courts, and the insurance companies operating in this area. We handle cases in Denton County, including matters that go before the Denton County District Courts located on Locust Street in downtown Denton.

We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. There are no upfront costs and no hourly fees. You focus on healing while we focus on your case. If you were injured in a crash involving a distracted driver, a drunk driver, or a fatigued commercial truck driver, we investigate every angle to hold the right parties accountable.

If your internal injury claim also involves a denied insurance claim or a dispute over fault, our team handles those challenges head-on. Clients injured in crashes involving company vehicles, delivery drivers, or rideshare vehicles may have additional avenues for recovery that require a thorough legal analysis. A car accident lawyer at our firm can review your specific situation and identify every source of compensation available to you. Call us today at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by making that call.

Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys also handles cases for clients injured in neighboring communities throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth area. If you were hurt in a crash in Garland, our car accident lawyer team is ready to help you pursue the compensation you need to move forward.

FAQs About Internal Injury Attorney After a Dallas Crash

How do I know if I have an internal injury after a car accident?

Common warning signs include abdominal pain or tenderness, bruising under the skin, dizziness, rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, and blood in your urine. Some internal injuries produce very few symptoms at first, which is why you should go to an emergency room after any serious crash. Doctors use CT scans and other imaging tools to detect organ damage and internal bleeding that would not otherwise be visible.

How long do I have to file an internal injury claim in Texas?

Under Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code Section 16.003, you have two years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline almost always means losing your right to compensation permanently. Because internal injuries can take time to diagnose fully, contact an attorney as soon as possible after your crash so your legal team can begin preserving evidence and protecting your rights.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault for the crash?

Yes, in most cases. Texas follows a proportionate responsibility rule under Civil Practice and Remedies Code Chapter 33. You can recover damages as long as your share of fault is 50 percent or less. Your total compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are found 25 percent at fault and your damages total $200,000, you would recover $150,000. An attorney can help you minimize any fault assigned to you during the claims process.

What compensation can I recover for an internal injury from a Dallas crash?

You may be entitled to compensation for emergency room bills, surgery costs, hospitalization, follow-up medical care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and pain and suffering. In severe cases involving permanent organ damage, future medical expenses and long-term care costs can also be included. If the at-fault driver’s conduct was especially reckless, such as drunk or drug-impaired driving, you may also be able to seek exemplary damages under Texas law.

What should I do right after a crash if I think I have an internal injury?

Call 911 immediately and tell the dispatcher you may have internal injuries. Do not refuse medical transport. Go to the emergency room and request a full evaluation, including imaging scans. After you receive care, contact Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys at (940) 800-2500 for a free consultation. Request a copy of the official crash report through TxDOT under Texas Transportation Code Section 550.065. Do not give recorded statements to any insurance company before speaking with an attorney.

Content prepared by Chandler Ross Injury Attorneys, principal office located in Denton, Texas. This page is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Results in any prior case do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in future matters, as each case depends on its own facts and applicable law.

More Resources About Injuries from Car Accidents in Dallas, TX