Breast Implants Damaged in Car Accident

For decades, breast augmentation has been in the top five of all cosmetic surgeries performed, and experts estimate that more than 5 million women in the United States have breast implants, which is roughly 1 in every 26 females. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for breast implants to become damaged in a car accident. Implants can be damaged or displaced as a result of trauma from the seatbelt, a deploying airbag or from striking something within the vehicle such as the steering wheel, seatback or dash.

Breast Implant Leaks, Displacement and Capsular Contracture Caused by Car Accident

If a breast implant is damaged, it can leak. Typically, saline implants leak much quicker than silicone and so the problem will be noticed much quicker than a silicone leak – usually within a few days.

Breast implants can also be displaced as a result of the car accident. Doctors use different terms for each type of displacement. Displacement toward the arm is called lateral displacement. Displacement toward the other breast is called symmastia. Downward displacement is referred to as bottoming out, and an upward movement of the implant is called high riding. While a leak may take some time to notice, displacement tends to be obvious immediately following an accident.

Finally, trauma from a car accident can cause a condition referred to as capsular contracture. Capsular contracture is when the breast tissue around the implant becomes unusually dense and hard. A capsular contracture can produce long-term pain and distortion of the shape of the breast.

What To Do After an Accident If You Have Breast Implants

If you have breast implants and were involved in an accident that resulted in your airbags deploying, your chest striking something within the vehicle or your body being restrained tightly by the seatbelt, you should see a doctor to determine if your breast implants have been damaged. Ideally, you should see the original surgeon who performed your breast implant surgery, but the most important step is to have your breast implants evaluated by a doctor. An imaging study should be done to determine the post-accident integrity of your implants. The most reliable imaging study for this evaluation is an MRI. An imaging study needs to be performed because breast implants can have “silent ruptures”, in which the rupture is not immediately known.

In addition to the imaging study and evaluation, you may need additional medical treatment such as surgery to repair the damage or remove/replace the implant. In some cases, doctors prefer to remove both implants even if only one has ruptured due to the age of the implants and to help secure symmetry in the breasts. In addition, if you have silicone implants that have ruptured in the car accident, you may need medical treatment related to the leak. Unlike saline, silicone is not absorbed by the body and can cause other medical problems.

How To Get Started

At the Law Offices of John, our award-winning lawyers have handled damaged breast implant cases and know how to help you. We understand the sensitivity of these cases and our nurse paralegal is well-versed in the medical issues surrounding ruptured or displaced breast implants.

We are here to help. We offer a free initial consultation and we handle all accident cases on a contingency basis, which means we only get paid if we recover money for you. To get started, you can either use the chat feature on this website or call our office at one of the numbers below.

Nashville: 615-669-3993
Murfreesboro: 615-867-9900
Brentwood: 615-742-4880
Toll-Free: 866-812-8787