Traumatic Brain Injury Caused by a Car Accident

A head injury suffered in a car accident can cause severe and long-term effects, including financial losses that are difficult to recover from.

You are carefully driving to your office with one of your colleagues in the car. Suddenly, a large SUV blocks your vehicle and before you could decide what to do, you hit the steering wheel and your colleague hits the windshield. The first thought that you may have in your mind after you survive such an accident is whether everyone is alright. You initially check for any obvious injuries, such as broken bones, bleeding, and unconsciousness. Even when everything seems okay, you may suffer some internal injuries that may remain unnoticed in the beginning.

Head Injury Statistics

• Many head injuries are minor and go away with time.
• Motor vehicle accidents account for around 28 percent of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), while sports injuries account for around 20 percent of TBIs.
• Around 500,000 people suffer head injuries requiring hospitalization every year. Road accidents account for 49 percent of those head injuries, while around 34 percent of all injury-related deaths are caused by TBIs.

Types of Head Injuries

• Open head injuries: This type of injury occurs when an object penetrates the skull. For instance, fractures in the skull as a result of a passenger hitting the windshield may fall in this category.
• Closed head injuries: This type of injury occurs when the head receives a strong blow but does not break apart. Closed head injuries are common when a driver hits the steering wheel. Common symptoms include swelling and pain.

Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries

Irrespective of the kind of injury you suffer, seek medical treatment immediately. In some cases, these injuries may cause long-term brain damage. Some serious brain injuries may affect the soft tissues and cause permanent brain damage, loss of sensation, coma, and language problems. If the head is shaken due to an accident, it may cause a concussion, the most common type of traumatic brain injury that occurs in the event of an accident. A concussion usually does not trigger any major symptoms and the diagnosis could be difficult. Concussions in most cases are completely curable. However, in some cases, a concussion may trigger some long-term effects, such as loss of memory and cognitive difficulties.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury

It is important to understand that loss of consciousness may be the only symptom of a traumatic brain injury. Other symptoms include drowsiness, abnormal behavior, stiffness of the neck, severe headache, and vomiting. If you or someone close to you has hit the steering wheel in an accident, be aware of the following symptoms:

• loss of consciousness
• drowsiness
• swelling, fracture, or wound in the scalp
• convulsions
• lack of coordination
• impaired hearing, smell, or taste
• severe headache
• confusion
• bruising or facial bone fracture
• difficulty in moving arms or legs
• low breathing rate
• stiff neck
• vomiting
• blurred vision

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury because of the impact of a crash caused by another person’s fault, call The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C. at (314) 361-4242 to learn about your legal rights.