If you or a loved one suffered a lung injury in an explosion, our lawyers can help you file a blast lung lawsuit. Explosion lawsuits are complex. Our legal team has the experience, knowledge, and resources to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve. We represent people with lung injuries, smoke inhalation, and respiratory failure in explosion lawsuits nationwide.
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Explosion Lung Injury Lawsuit
Sue for Blast Lung Injuries
The initial blast wave of an explosion can cause lung damage called blast lung. Blast lung is typically one of the most fatal explosion injuries.
Explosion blast waves exert intense pressure on the body, and most often adversely affect the ears, abdomen, and lungs, the tissue of which can be torn or burst. The extent of the damage depends on the intensity of the pressure, the density of the tissue, and other factors.
If a patient has ruptured eardrums, which indicates a high-pressure blast, there is a higher likelihood that there is also lung damage. In some cases, this can cause air to enter the bloodstream, which can create gas bubbles called air embolisms. An air embolism in the heart or brain can cause a heart attack, stroke, or death.
Signs signs and symptoms of a blast lung injury may show up right away or within a day or two and may include any of the following.
- Trouble breathing (dyspnea)
- Blue skin (cyanosis), suggesting oxygen deprivation
- Low oxygen levels (hypoxemia)
- Coughing up blood (hemoptysis)
- Chest pain
- Alveolar wall bleeding (hemorrhages) and swelling (edema)
- Visceral pleura bleeding
- Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
- Hemothorax (accumulation of blood in the pleural cavity)
Sue for Penetrating Lung Injury
A penetrating lung injury is considered a secondary injury in an explosion that is often caused by flying debris. Some objects, such as broken glass and metal, are particularly deadly.
Large debris could penetrate the lungs themselves. This is called pulmonary laceration. In most of these cases, emergency surgery is necessary to prevent death. Flying objects could also cause tracheobronchial (airway) lacerations.
Sue for Blunt Chest Trauma
In a blast, blunt chest trauma is generally a tertiary injury, which is one caused by being thrown against something. When the chest is hit on impact, it can cause a pulmonary contusion (bruising). Symptoms of a pulmonary contusion are similar to blast lung, with the addition of wheezing and low blood pressure (hypotension). People with blunt chest trauma may also have broken ribs and other injuries to the chest and head.
Sue for Smoke Inhalation
Smoke generated by a residential or commercial fire can contain toxic chemicals such as carbon monoxide. It all depends on what is burning. Chemicals can cause a lung infection called aspiration pneumonia as well as chemical burns in the lungs and airways. Smoke inhalation is considered the most common cause of death in burn centers.
Sue for Crush Injuries
When a building is blown up, part of it can fall and crush a person’s arms, legs, or chest. These are serious injuries and can result in broken bones, punctured lungs, and damage to other organs. Many times when there is a blast lung injury there is also blunt chest trauma (tertiary blast injury) and other blunt trauma injuries.