What Is a Coup-Contrecoup Injury?

Approximately 30% of traumatic brain injuries in Michigan are due to car accidents. The impact of this head injury can result in devastating physical, emotional, and personal losses. With a severe traumatic brain injury, you can’t immediately return to work, leading to financial loss amidst rapidly increasing medical bills and fees.

Michigan has the most comprehensive no-fault automobile insurance system in the country. Read on to learn how to recover from this head trauma and how you or your loved one can get compensation for coup injuries.

What Causes a Coup-Contrecoup Injury?

Coup and contrecoup are French terms for “blow” and “counterblow.” A coup-contrecoup injury pertains to brain injuries in two different sites of impact sustained from the same accident.

A coup injury occurs directly underneath the point of impact. On the other hand, a contrecoup brain injury is situated on the opposite side of the brain from the point of impact. Coup-contrecoup brain injuries can happen separately (as only a contrecoup or coup injury), but if the force is strong enough, they can appear together as a coup-contrecoup injury.

The human brain floats in cerebrospinal fluid and is encased within the skull. This provides protection from jolts and bumps you may encounter daily. However, if the head experiences a strong force, the brain can slam against the skull, resulting to serious damage due to the axonal injury.

Most coup-contrecoup injuries happen when your head slams against a stationary object. When your skull hits the object, the brain shifts towards it until it hits the skull. Rebound occurs because of the initial impact. A 2nd trauma is inflicted on the brain as it hits the opposite side of the skull.

Symptoms of a Coup Contrecoup Brain Injury

The symptoms that manifest after the brain injury depend on the location of the impact. Below are the usual indications and symptoms depending on the damaged area.

Frontal Lobe Damage

The frontal lobe is the biggest part of the cerebral cortex. It is primarily responsible for higher cognitive functions such as memory, planning, attention, and behavior.

Injury to the frontal lobe also affects motor control. As a result, you may experience weakening or paralysis of voluntary muscular movements.

Parietal Lobe Damage

This area is responsible for sensory processing information. An injured parietal lobe may lead to issues with sensation and perception. You will also struggle to interact with your surroundings.

Occipital Lobe Damage

The occipital lobe manages the processing of visual stimuli. Damage to this area causes several types of blindness and visual distortions.

Temporal Lobe Damage

The temporal lobe processes auditory information. It also helps interpret smell and sight. Injury to this area will lead to issues with your sense of sight or smell.

Other Complications

In some cases, coup-contrecoup injury causes severe complications such as coma and brain death. Hydrocephalus, seizures, infections, and persistent headaches are also possible.

Some victims also develop cognitive changes such as learning and memory issues. There may be problems in communicating or performing executive functions like multitasking and decision-making.

Treatment and Recovery

Dealing with coup-contrecoup injuries is a race against time since the damage is normally irreversible. Treatment and recovery depend on the severity of the injury. Lesions that don’t need immediate surgical decompression will undergo close monitoring with a head CT Scan every 12-24 hours.

A severe injury involving reduced neurological status must have intracranial pressure monitoring and be managed per trauma guidelines. Some patients may need surgery. This normally involves drainage of the hematoma but can be as extensive as decompressive hemicraniectomy. Antiepileptic medications can be prescribed according to guidelines.

Rehabilitative interventions such as physical therapy, speech therapy, cognitive training, and occupational therapy is also done as needed.

What Legal Damages Can Be Filed for a Coup and Contrecoup Injury?

There are two types of legal damages you can pursue in a coup-contrecoup injury claim:

Economic Damages

The medical expenses incurred for coup-contrecoup injuries are quite extensive because of their long-term debilitating effects. You’ll need to undergo medication and therapy. You may lose your job and ability to earn because of the disabilities that this injury can inflict.

Some economic damages you can pursue are:

Non-Economic Damages

A coup-contrecoup injury can cause non-economic damages that are harder to measure in value. The mental anguish these injuries can bring will negatively affect your mental health. It can also affect your social life, relationships, and enjoyment of life. You deserve to be compensated for these non-economic damages because of the other party’s negligence.

How a Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

If you or your loved one suffered a traumatic brain injury from an accident, it’s absolutely necessary for you to get the services of a lawyer. The process to recover damages is complex and stress you more.

Trying to recover from a severe injury while pursuing compensation from an insurer is hard because your mind is not in the right state. Your injury may also result in cognitive functioning problems that make you unable to represent yourself.

An experienced Michigan personal injury lawyer can handle the claims process for you. He’ll use his legal expertise to get the best possible compensation by doing the following:

Contact The Clark Law Office for Legal Assistance

Our team of lawyers at The Clark Law Office has several years of experience in handling traumatic brain injury litigation. We know the physical, emotional, and psychological challenges you’ve been facing.

We aim to take all the legal matters out of your hands so you can fully focus on recovery. We will hold the at-fault individual accountable and fight to get the compensation you deserve. Book an appointment with us today!