The pancreas plays an integral role in the digestive system as an exocrine gland. It is responsible for the secretion of various digestive enzymes released in the duodenum to break down fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. The pancreas also produces glucagon and insulin, hormones that regulate blood sugar levels. The pancreas is divided histologically into the endocrine pancreas and the exocrine pancreas. The endocrine pancreas comprises gamma, beta, and alpha cells that regulate somatostatin, insulin, and glucagon. The exocrine pancreas secretes proteolytic enzymes, amylase, and lipase into the duodenum. A pancreatic injury is rare but potentially catastrophic and life-threatening. Conservative treatment or surgery may be indicated depending on the grade of pancreatic trauma.

A pancreas injury may have lasting and life-changing effects for an injured party and their family. If you suffered pancreatic trauma in an accident through no fault of your own, call our personal injury lawyers in California for free, friendly case advice at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400.

Injuries from an accident, such as pancreatic trauma, may leave you stressed and unsure of how to proceed in your situation. If you wish to seek compensation from the individual or entity responsible for the incident and your injuries, contact our legal team at AutoAccident.com for assistance. A pancreas injury lawyer from our law firm will work closely with you and your family to measure the impact of the crash on your life and build a strong case for maximum financial recovery. When you are ready to get started on your pancreatic-duodenal trauma case, call us for a free consultation.

Pancreatic trauma in motor vehicle collisions or other types of accidents often occurs from trauma to the spinal column, specifically severe anteroposterior compression trauma. This is partly due to trauma from handlebar compression, deceleration forces, or seat belt injuries.

Other mechanisms of injury include blunt force trauma to the upper abdomen, slip and fall accidents, and sports-related injuries. Case studies suggest that 70 percent of traumatic injuries to the pancreas occur from penetrating trauma. Conversely, studies indicate that the most injured pancreatic region is the body of the pancreas.

Isolated pancreatic trauma cases are rare. Studies report that as many as 90 percent of cases involve an accompaniment of abdominal injuries. The most common is pancreatic-duodenal injury, according to case studies. Injuries to the duodenum and pancreas present a challenge to surgeons in trauma centers primarily because of their retroperitoneal location.

When an individual suffers an abdominal injury, they may experience symptoms indicative of pancreatic trauma. The signs of a pancreatic injury may include abdominal bruising, nausea, pain in the abdomen, and vomiting.

Based on the findings from a physical exam, reported symptoms, and the type of injury, a physician may order tests to confirm pancreatic trauma and identify the extent of the injury. This may include an ultrasound of the abdomen, blood tests, computed tomography (CT) scans, and abdominal X-rays.

An injury to the pancreas often accompanies multiple organ damage and polytrauma. An initial encounter with a pancreatic injury patient in the hospital will include hemodynamic stabilization and resuscitation.

Treatment will be individualized based on patient stability, trauma site, parenchyma involvement, the severity of damage to the pancreatic duct, and associated injuries. Conservative management will include inserting a nasogastric tube with nutritional support, bowel rest, and suction.

Exploratory laparotomy may be indicated in pancreatic injury cases involving penetrating trauma. The morbidity and mortality rate may increase significantly without surgery within 24 hours in severe pancreatic injury cases. The approach should be dependent on the involvement of the duodenum. Surgical management may include duodenal diversion, pyloric exclusion, and straightforward drainage.

A mild pancreatic injury patient may undergo conservative management. However, a disruption of the pancreatic duct generally indicates surgical intervention. In major pancreatic trauma cases, a Whipple procedure may be required. It may be divided into two separate surgical interventions: anastomoses and damage control. This is generally required if the patient is not hemodynamically stable.

Complications from pancreatic trauma may include pancreatic pseudocysts, fistula formation, recurrent pancreatitis, abscess formation, and bleeding. In some pancreatic injury cases, death may occur from necrosis of the pancreas secondary to acute pancreatitis, delayed hemorrhage, and sepsis.

A pancreatic injury from an accident may be traumatic and life-changing, particularly if the incident resulted from someone else’s negligence. In such situations, an injured party may have a bodily injury claim for economic and non-economic damages against the individual or entity responsible for the crash. These cases are generally brought against a negligent party and their insurance company. However, strict rules are involved in the personal injury claims process.

According to CCP 335.1, when someone has suffered injuries in an accident caused by another party or entity’s negligence, they must file a personal injury case in civil court within two years of the incident date. There are exceptions to the two-year statute of limitations that generally applies to accident cases. Under the California Government Code Section 911.2, an injured party is responsible for filing a notice of claim with the public entity named a defendant in their case. There is a six-month statute of limitations for cases against government entities.

The filing criterion and deadlines are challenging and strictly enforced by the courts in California. Therefore, it is in an injured party’s best interest to retain legal counsel immediately. The sooner a pancreatic trauma attorney is retained for an accident case, the better. A skilled lawyer will take the time to understand their client’s story to demonstrate the impact of accident-related injuries on their client’s life.

At our personal injury law firm, one of our priorities is to seek answers about the cause of the incident, obtain the maximum financial compensation our clients need to put traumatic crashes behind them and reach a sense of resolution. To accomplish that, our duodenal-pancreatic trauma attorneys can help an injured party with the following:

• Independent Investigation: An accident attorney will conduct a comprehensive investigation of the case, including gathering and preserving relevant evidence before it is destroyed or lost. From there, the lawyer will decide which parties and entities should be liable for the resulting damages. This may include working with expert witnesses, like an accident reconstruction expert, who can provide insight into the incident and how accident-related injuries, such as duodenal-pancreatic trauma, occurred.
• Review of Insurance Coverage: The amount recovered through a claim generally depends on the at-fault party’s bodily injury liability limits for their insurance policy. A pancreatic trauma lawyer can calculate the damages needed to make a client whole again. If the other side has limited to no liability coverage, an attorney will review their client’s uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage and other insurance plans possibly involved in an accident case.
• Communication and Negotiation: An injury lawyer will handle communications with the insurance company and defense counsel on behalf of the client. This will also include negotiations to settle the bodily injury claim. If insurance settlement negotiations are not in favor of the client, the attorney will be prepared to litigate the pancreatic-duodenal injury case and tell the client’s story to a judge or jury.

The skilled and compassionate pancreatic trauma lawyers from our law firm understand the emotional, financial, and physical downfalls an injured party may experience following an accident. That is why our legal team is dedicated to seeking maximum compensation for our clients through case settlements and verdicts. For more details about our law firm’s services and how we can help you with your pancreas injury case, watch the video below.

The legal team at AutoAccident.com operates on contingency. This means you do not have to worry about upfront costs for legal representation. Attorney’s fees will only be owed if we obtain a successful result in your duodenal-pancreatic trauma case through an insurance settlement or jury award.

As an individual who has suffered injuries in a crash, such as duodenal-pancreatic trauma, you owe it to yourself to work with an established personal injury law firm with the skills, experience, and resources to seek maximum compensation on your behalf. At AutoAccident.com, our legal team has helped injured parties and families rebuild their lives after life-changing accidents since 1982. Contact our pancreatic trauma lawyers today for free, friendly advice on your potential case at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400.

Photograph Source: derneuemann on Pixabay

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