Seat belts lower chance of severe liver injuries

If drivers in South Carolina are looking for one more reason to wear their seat belts, they can consider the results of a new study. Researchers at NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn studied crash data in the National Trauma Data Bank spanning from 2010 to 2015. All of the cases involved patients aged 18 and over who either went to the hospital or died en route in the aftermath of a vehicle crash.

Their results showed how seat belts reduce the risk for severe liver injuries. The liver and spleen are the two internal organs that are most often injured in car accidents. While a bleeding spleen can be surgically removed if necessary, severe liver bleeding cannot be treated in such a way.

Researchers found that patients who wore seat belts were 21 percent less likely to suffer severe liver injuries. Seat belts and airbags together brought that number to 26 percent; however, the study found that airbags by themselves do not reduce the injury severity. It must also be remembered that seat belts do not prevent liver injuries, but many symptoms of severe injuries, such as deep lacerations and ruptured clots, can be avoided.

Just over 51,200 of the injury cases could be categorized for injury severity. Of the patients who suffered severe liver injuries, 15 percent died. Only 8 percent of those with moderate or mild injuries died.

After a car accident occurs, it's important to determine who was at fault. Those who believe that they were the victims can file a claim against the guilty driver’s insurance company. During the case evaluation, the lawyer can then negotiate for a fair settlement.