5 Head Injuries Resulting from a Car Accident
Injuries are a common consequence of car accidents. Even something as simple as an abrupt brake can lead to rear end accidents, whiplash and brain injury. Without proper recognition and treatment, head injuries can lead to long-term consequences.
While head injuries can bring permanent trauma, accident victims can find some comfort through just compensation. The Clark Law Office is dedicated to legally assisting car accident victims in Michigan. Through our experience and expertise, we help personal injury victims fight for the compensation for which they are entitled.
One of the critical steps in filing a claim is understanding the basis of the injury. In general, the extent of the head injury caused by the car accident should be documented properly, with an examination done by a licensed physician.
Head Injuries You Can Suffer from a Car Accident
In some cases, head injuries, especially non-bleeding and non-fracture trauma, can go unnoticed. It’s essential to know the symptoms of common head injuries so that you or your loved one can seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Concussion
One of the most common types of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a concussion, which can range in extent and severity. Concussions result when the brain hits the inside of your skull due to changes in movement and momentum. During a car crash, however, you can get a concussion even if you don’t directly hit your head against the car.
Mild to severe concussions will present different symptoms. These are only some of the things to watch out for:
- Headache
- Pressure within the head
- Loss of consciousness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Easily fatigued
- Short-term amnesia
- Slurred speech
- Contusion
- Tinnitus or ringing in the ears
- Personality or behavioral changes
- Attention problems
- Contusion
A bruise forms on the brain after enough direct impact to the head. For example, this can happen when external objects strike the head of passengers or when the driver hits their head on the steering wheel. Flying loose objects of enough weight, such as full drink tumblers and books, can also cause contusions.
The symptoms of contusions depend on the area of the head or brain affected. These symptoms include:
- Difficulty forming new memories
- Changes in patterns of thinking
- Numbness or tingling in the injury site
- Problems in balance and coordination
- Slurring of speech
- Difficulty speaking
- Concentration and attention problems
- Penetration
Car accidents can come with more violent and externally visible injuries. One such type is penetration by an external object. A tough and heavy object inside or even outside the car can impact with enough force to penetrate the skull.
This type of head injury can be immediately fatal. They also tend to cause serious complications, including blindness and loss of certain body functions.
Penetrating head wounds can be difficult to miss. Left untreated, they can lead to a variety of severe consequences, such as:
- Seizure and loss of consciousness
- Difficulty breathing
- Loss of movement or sensation
- Paralysis
- Bleeding from the ears
- Heavy blood loss
- Urinary or bowel incontinence
- Coma
- Diffuse Axonal
Severe rotation or shaking movements can cause breaks in the different structures within the brain. The axon is the part of the nerve cell which sends messages to other cells. When this becomes injured, there can be severe effects.
The diffuse axonal injury commonly occurs in high-speed car accidents and in cases where the victim turned in several directions. Structures within the brain take a lot of time to recover, if at all. Here are some of the symptoms to watch out for:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Coup Contrecoup Injury
When the brain jerks suddenly within the skull, it can hit one side of the skull and the opposite side right after. As such, both sides of the brain are damaged. Car accidents, which are high-impact and violent, involving abrupt breaks or rollover collisions, can lead to this type of injury.
Symptoms of this type of head injury include:
- Intracranial bleeding
- Brain swelling
- Skull fractures
- Intense headache
- Loss of consciousness
- Seizure
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Memory disturbance
- Behavioral changes
- Slurred speech
- Coma
Consult The Clark Law Office Today
Head injuries and their long-term consequences are expensive to treat. Aside from your chief medical concerns, you also need to worry about liability problems, medical expenses, rehabilitation, lost work, and more.
If your head injury was the result of a car accident, you may be entitled to compensation for the cost of treatment and rehabilitation, lost work and lost opportunities, reduced capacity, pain, and suffering.
The experienced and knowledgeable Michigan personal injury lawyers from the Clark Law Office are here to help you pursue your claim and receive compensation. Contact The Clark Law Office for a free consultation today!
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