Compensation for Bruising after a Car Accident
cartwrightlaw - October 3, 2023 -

Bruising occurs when the body is hit, causing blood vessels to rupture and leak blood beneath the skin’s surface. While some bruises are minor injuries and heal quickly, others may indicate additional, more significant injuries.
If you have suffered bruising following a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries by initiating a personal injury claim.
At The Cartwright Law Firm, our car accident attorneys in Vacaville provide comprehensive legal services to help our clients obtain restitution for their injuries. Contact us today to schedule a personalized case consultation and learn more about your potential injury claim.
Does Bruising Count in a Personal Injury Claim?
Bruising is considered an injury in personal injury claims. However, there are several factors that contribute to whether or not you can receive compensation for your injury through a personal injury claim.
If bruising is concurrent with additional injuries, it will be taken into account when the claim is being evaluated. Conversely, if bruising is the only injury, it will depend on the severity and duration of the bruising to be considered for restitution.
If you have sustained bruising as a result of a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention. Bruises may appear to be minor injuries, but they can indicate more significant underlying damage that should not be ignored.
Types of Bruising
After a car accident, you may experience different types of bruising. These bruises can range from mild to severe, and knowing the different types can help you better understand the severity and necessary medical treatment.
Bruising, known medically as ecchymosis, is caused by damaged blood vessels under the skin. The following are some of the most common types of bruising that can occur after a car accident:
- Contusions. These bruises occur due to a direct blow or trauma to the body. These bruises can vary in size and severity, and they often cause swelling, soreness, and tenderness.
- Hematomas. A hematoma is a large type of bruise that occurs when blood pools in the tissue under the skin due to a ruptured blood vessel. Depending on the severity and location of the hematoma, it can cause significant pain and discomfort.
- Purpura. When a small amount of bleeding occurs under your skin and causes discoloration.
- Petechiae. These bruises are caused by blood vessels breaking and appear in a group of red or purple spots. Petechiae bruising can indicate more significant internal injuries.
Common Causes of Bruising From Car Accidents
If you experience an auto accident, bruising can occur in many ways. From your body hitting the inside of the car to more severely being ejected from the vehicle. Common contributing factors for bruising from a car accident also include seatbelt injury and airbag deployment.
Seatbelt Injuries
While seatbelts are undoubtedly life-saving, they can cause injury when working to keep your body in your seat during an auto accident. Seatbelt injuries occur when a vehicle suddenly comes to a halt, causing the occupant’s body to jolt forward and the seatbelt to tighten.
The shoulder strap of the seatbelt crosses the torso diagonally, which can lead to significant bruising along the shoulder, chest, and hip. The compression of the seatbelt against the body can cause severe damage, such as broken ribs and internal bleeding.
In certain scenarios, the seatbelt can also create a pressure point on the neck, leading to neck and spinal cord injuries. Bruising and cuts from the lap belt portion can also occur on the hips, abdomen, and thighs.
Airbag and Flying Object Injuries
Airbags are essential safety features for vehicles, but they also have the potential to cause injuries during a car accident. Injury occurs when the high-speed deployment of the airbag makes contact with the person in the vehicle. Most commonly, airbag injuries include bruising, lacerations, burns, rib fractures, and face injuries.
Similarly, a flying object injury in the vehicle can cause bruising and other injuries when loose items from inside the car become airborne and hit a person in the vehicle.
How Compensation is Calculated in an Injury Claim
The amount of compensation that you, as the injured party, are able to receive is based on the unique circumstances of your case. Numerous factors impact the value of an injury claim, including your injuries and liability.
The main purpose of an injury claim is to cover the cost of acquired and future medical expenses directly related to the injury from the accident. Therefore, the severity of the injuries sustained in the accident plays a major role in settlement negotiations. The cost of current and future medical expenses largely contribute to the value of a claim. Severe injuries require extensive medical treatment and have a significant impact on quality of life, ability to work, emotional well-being, and more.
Factors that contribute to the value of a personal injury case include:
- Type of Injuries
- Severity of injuries
- Permanency of injuries
- Cost of medical treatment
- Cost of future medical treatment
- Loss of earning capacity
- Vehicle property damage
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Our car accident attorneys will negotiate the value of these factors to fight for optimal compensation for your claim.
Permanency in Injury Claims
An important factor in the calculation of a claim’s value is the length of time it takes for the victim to recover. If the victim requires a long or ongoing recovery period before they can return to their normal activities, they are likely to receive more money in compensation. This is because the longer the recovery period, the more medical expenses, potential lost wages, emotional and physical suffering, and disruption to daily life the victim is likely to experience.
As a stand-alone injury, bruises are temporary and heal on their own. Therefore, bruises are types of injuries that do not largely contribute to the value of a personal injury claim.
Contact Our Vacaville Car Accident Lawyers
Our dedicated team of attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the compensation you are entitled to, including compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
If you were injured in a car accident, contact us at The Cartwright Law Firm to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled attorneys and learn more about your legal rights and options.
Bruising occurs when the body is hit, causing blood vessels to rupture and leak blood beneath the skin’s surface. While some bruises are minor injuries and heal quickly, others may indicate additional, more significant injuries.
If you have suffered bruising following a car accident, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries by initiating a personal injury claim.
At The Cartwright Law Firm, our car accident attorneys in Vacaville provide comprehensive legal services to help our clients obtain restitution for their injuries. Contact us today to schedule a personalized case consultation and learn more about your potential injury claim.
Does Bruising Count in a Personal Injury Claim?
Bruising is considered an injury in personal injury claims. However, there are several factors that contribute to whether or not you can receive compensation for your injury through a personal injury claim.
If bruising is concurrent with additional injuries, it will be taken into account when the claim is being evaluated. Conversely, if bruising is the only injury, it will depend on the severity and duration of the bruising to be considered for restitution.
If you have sustained bruising as a result of a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention. Bruises may appear to be minor injuries, but they can indicate more significant underlying damage that should not be ignored.
Types of Bruising
After a car accident, you may experience different types of bruising. These bruises can range from mild to severe, and knowing the different types can help you better understand the severity and necessary medical treatment.
Bruising, known medically as ecchymosis, is caused by damaged blood vessels under the skin. The following are some of the most common types of bruising that can occur after a car accident:
- Contusions. These bruises occur due to a direct blow or trauma to the body. These bruises can vary in size and severity, and they often cause swelling, soreness, and tenderness.
- Hematomas. A hematoma is a large type of bruise that occurs when blood pools in the tissue under the skin due to a ruptured blood vessel. Depending on the severity and location of the hematoma, it can cause significant pain and discomfort.
- Purpura. When a small amount of bleeding occurs under your skin and causes discoloration.
- Petechiae. These bruises are caused by blood vessels breaking and appear in a group of red or purple spots. Petechiae bruising can indicate more significant internal injuries.
Common Causes of Bruising From Car Accidents
If you experience an auto accident, bruising can occur in many ways. From your body hitting the inside of the car to more severely being ejected from the vehicle. Common contributing factors for bruising from a car accident also include seatbelt injury and airbag deployment.
Seatbelt Injuries
While seatbelts are undoubtedly life-saving, they can cause injury when working to keep your body in your seat during an auto accident. Seatbelt injuries occur when a vehicle suddenly comes to a halt, causing the occupant’s body to jolt forward and the seatbelt to tighten.
The shoulder strap of the seatbelt crosses the torso diagonally, which can lead to significant bruising along the shoulder, chest, and hip. The compression of the seatbelt against the body can cause severe damage, such as broken ribs and internal bleeding.
In certain scenarios, the seatbelt can also create a pressure point on the neck, leading to neck and spinal cord injuries. Bruising and cuts from the lap belt portion can also occur on the hips, abdomen, and thighs.
Airbag and Flying Object Injuries
Airbags are essential safety features for vehicles, but they also have the potential to cause injuries during a car accident. Injury occurs when the high-speed deployment of the airbag makes contact with the person in the vehicle. Most commonly, airbag injuries include bruising, lacerations, burns, rib fractures, and face injuries.
Similarly, a flying object injury in the vehicle can cause bruising and other injuries when loose items from inside the car become airborne and hit a person in the vehicle.
How Compensation is Calculated in an Injury Claim
The amount of compensation that you, as the injured party, are able to receive is based on the unique circumstances of your case. Numerous factors impact the value of an injury claim, including your injuries and liability.
The main purpose of an injury claim is to cover the cost of acquired and future medical expenses directly related to the injury from the accident. Therefore, the severity of the injuries sustained in the accident plays a major role in settlement negotiations. The cost of current and future medical expenses largely contribute to the value of a claim. Severe injuries require extensive medical treatment and have a significant impact on quality of life, ability to work, emotional well-being, and more.
Factors that contribute to the value of a personal injury case include:
- Type of Injuries
- Severity of injuries
- Permanency of injuries
- Cost of medical treatment
- Cost of future medical treatment
- Loss of earning capacity
- Vehicle property damage
- Emotional distress
- Pain and suffering
Our car accident attorneys will negotiate the value of these factors to fight for optimal compensation for your claim.
Permanency in Injury Claims
An important factor in the calculation of a claim’s value is the length of time it takes for the victim to recover. If the victim requires a long or ongoing recovery period before they can return to their normal activities, they are likely to receive more money in compensation. This is because the longer the recovery period, the more medical expenses, potential lost wages, emotional and physical suffering, and disruption to daily life the victim is likely to experience.
As a stand-alone injury, bruises are temporary and heal on their own. Therefore, bruises are types of injuries that do not largely contribute to the value of a personal injury claim.
Contact Our Vacaville Car Accident Lawyers
Our dedicated team of attorneys will work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the compensation you are entitled to, including compensation for medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and more.
If you were injured in a car accident, contact us at The Cartwright Law Firm to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled attorneys and learn more about your legal rights and options.
“Our successful case results are a reflection of the values and virtues we believe in and uphold at Cartwright Law Firm. Nothing stops us from pursuing justice on behalf of those who need it.
Robert E. Cartwright Jr.
Founder and Managing Partner