Different Types of Brain Injuries From Car Accidents
Types of Brain Injuries From Car Accidents
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can impact your quality of life for years. Severe head injuries can lead to life-threatening symptoms and even death. Severe TBI is one of the leading causes of death in motor vehicle accidents according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
There are many types of brain injuries from car accidents you may have suffered in a Maryland car crash. If your head injury was caused because someone else was careless, you may have permanent brain damage, which can impact your quality of life. Reach out to an attorney to learn more about your opportunities to protect your future.
What Are Three Signs of Traumatic Brain Injury?
If you have been involved in a car accident, and you have suffered any of these symptoms, you may be suffering from traumatic brain injuries caused by the crash. Reach out to an attorney if you suffer any of the following symptoms:
- Memory loss
- Blurred vision, double vision, or loss of vision
- Severe headache
Remember that this is just a sample of possible signs of traumatic brain injuries. Symptoms may vary depending on the type of injury, as a mild TBI after a car crash may have different symptoms than more severe head injuries. In these cases, consider visiting an emergency room for potential surgical intervention and treatment of other injuries.
Types of Brain Injuries
When any brain injury happens, it should be treated as a severe injury. These injuries can lead to brain damage, where brain tissue is damaged and brain cells die. While your skull protects your brain from many things, TBIs are still common injuries and can lead to devastating symptoms.
Below is just a sample of the damage to your brain caused by car accidents you may have suffered. If you have needed medical attention for any of the following, do not hesitate to reach out about your injuries to a lawyer for help with coverage for your medical bills and lost wages.
Concussions
Concussions are a potentially severe head injury that occurs because of the bouncing of the brain inside your skull due to the violent shaking and blunt trauma of a car accident. Your brain may strike the opposite side of the skull.
While these injuries are relatively common, they can be life-altering, and even a moderate TBI can come with devastating symptoms such as a loss of motor function. If you lose consciousness in an accident and suffer any cognitive symptoms, do not hesitate to seek medical care.
Diffuse Axonal Injuries and Coup-Contrecoup
A diffuse axonal injury happens when the brain is subject to rotational forces. This may happen during a car accident and involve damage to the connections between the neurons and brain cells.
A coup-contrecoup happens when your brain suffers contusions, or bruises on the brain, on opposite sides of the brain. Those who suffer collisions that bounce them back and forth, such as rear-end or head-on collisions, are more likely to suffer from these injuries.
Brain Penetration
Penetrating injuries happen when the skull is broken and an object or bone fragments enter the brain. This can impact blood flow, damage tissue, and lead to permanent damage. They can also lead to a secondary brain injury, due to the force applied on the brain and the following swelling. This may require emergency surgical removal of the penetrating object.
This is known as an open head injury. This is a serious emergency and can be life-threatening, so if you or a loved one has suffered this kind of injury, do not hesitate to seek emergency aid.
Skull Fracture
Skull fractures occur when your skull is damaged by the force of the impact. This can also lead to a closed brain injury, where internal damage is caused by the external forces that fractured your skull. Treatment for a skull fracture will depend on the severity of the fracture and whether it is causing damage to your brain.
Hematoma
When you are involved in a car accident, it can cause damage to the brain’s blood vessels which leads to blood clots on the brain. When a blood clot forms, it can lead to different types of hematoma, from an epidural hematoma to a subdural hematoma.
Other types of injuries that involve bleeding of the brain include subarachnoid hemorrhage, and many of these may require surgical intervention to avoid brain swelling.
Call a Brain Injury Attorney for Help
If a temporary or permanent brain injury occurs because someone was careless on the road and caused a car accident, you may have grounds for a lawsuit. These devastating injuries can last a lifetime, and you deserve to be compensated for that loss. A car accident attorney can guide you through the process of legal and financial recovery.
As Parker, Pallet, Slezak & Russell, LLC, we strive to help our clients get compensated fairly when they have suffered from the devastating effects of a car accident and brain injury. To learn more about your options, seek out a free consultation with our team by calling or completing our online contact form.
