What is a crushing injury?

A crush injury occurs when force or pressure is put on a body part. When compressed between two hard surfaces, bones, soft tissue, and nerves can get seriously damaged. This type of injury most often happens when part of the body is squeezed between two heavy objects. This can happen as a result of a car accident, heavy objects falling, or heavy machinery running over a foot, hand, or other body parts. This type of injury can cause serious damage. Unfortunately, these accidents often result in catastrophic injuries and death. Safety measures exist for all job sites and for heavy machinery itself, but accidents still happen and can completely alter the quality of your life. Every year, hundreds of thousands of U.S. workers suffer crush injuries caused by getting pinned between two objects or entangled with machinery. Crush injuries are listed as “Caught in/Compressed by” among the top 10 causes of disabling injuries and can often result in an amputation.  If an extremity is involved in a crushing accident, it can often result in amputation. An amputation is a severe injury that can affect the quality of the rest of your life.