What is a laceration?

Lacerations, also called cuts, occur when the skin is split open, ripped, or torn. They can be disfiguring, painful, severe or deadly. Typically, the skin is intact with a laceration, but the wound may be deep (also known as a gash) or severe depending on the location and the way the injury occurred. Lacerations tend to be ragged or uneven, rather than a straight line separating the skin.

What causes lacerations?

This kind of injury occurs from many kinds of accidents and events, including:

• A motor vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian accident, particularly if shattered glass punctures or hits the body, or something else causes blunt force trauma
• Falls, including those from ladders, roofs, construction sites, or while using an escalator or an elevator. Falls may also happen when snow, debris, rain, or other issues make a floor, ground, road or sidewalk slippery
• Animal bites or attacks, including those from pets and wild animals
• Assault or abuse

What are laceration symptoms?

Lacerations may be accompanied by bleeding, pain, numbness, swelling, infection, or damage to underlying tissue, nerves, tendons, muscle or bone.

How do I treat lacerations?

Except for the simplest cuts, it’s a good idea to seek medical care for your lacerations. Such treatment can help stop bleeding, close wounds, fix broken bones or other damaged body parts, and can help prevent disease or infection with a tetanus or rabies shot. Lacerations can be closed with stitches, staples, tape or tissue glue.

What are laceration complications?

Even with medical care, some lacerations continue to cause problems. Infected injuries can take longer to heal, may cause additional pain, swelling, redness and drainage, and may ultimately heal with bigger or more prominent scars. Some lacerations on people with black skin heal with thick and raised scars called keloids, which can resemble rope. Others may find their lacerations are so severe that they restrict bodily movement or function even after the injuries have healed. Laceration infection or blood loss may even be fatal in some cases.

If you have been in an accident or incident and have suffered from lacerations, cuts, gashes or other wounds, we can help. Call Altman & Altman at 617.492.3000 or 800.481.6199 (toll-free) or contact us online for a free consultation.