Types of Brain Injuries That Can Result From Car Accidents
Brain injuries represent a common consequence of car accidents. However, brain injuries come in many different forms, depending on how the injury was caused and the damage that the brain suffers. Different types of brain injuries also result in different symptoms for a person and may require different courses of treatment or have varying outcomes. Below are some of the most common kinds of brain injuries suffered by car accident victims.
Concussions
A concussion is considered a mild form of traumatic brain injury and is the most common form of TBI suffered in car accidents. Concussions are usually not serious or life-threatening and will heal themselves over time with rest. However, not resting after a concussion or suffering repeated concussions can have permanent effects or lead to degenerative conditions.
Symptoms of a concussion can include brief loss of consciousness, dizziness, fatigue, headache, sensitivity to light or sound, or temporary changes to taste or smell. Although usually mild, someone who has suffered a concussion should still be monitored for persistent or worsening symptoms, which may be the indication of a more serious brain injury.
Diffuse Axonal Injury
A diffuse axonal injury is another brain injury common in car accidents. The injury is caused by rapid movements of the brain inside the skull, such as during impact in a car accident. This violent movement of the brain can cause tearing or shearing damage to nerve tissues, potentially severing the connections between nerve fibers. If severe enough, a diffuse axonal injury can result in a person falling comatose.
Contusions
Also known as a brain bruise, a contusion often occurs when an impact or blow is delivered to the head. Contusions can have varying severity. The most serious contusions may lead to a brain bleed or a brain herniation, a condition where brain tissue is squeezed out of the skull. A serious contusion usually requires emergency treatment or surgical intervention to help reduce swelling of the brain and prevent further damage.
Coup-Contrecoup
A coup-contrecoup injury involves opposite sides of the brain suffering damage. This injury occurs where a force on the head or the body causes the brain to impact the inside of the skull, and then immediately bounce back to impact the opposite side of the inside of the skull, resulting in two brain injuries.
Open Injuries
An open brain injury can refer to an injury in which the skull and brain are penetrated by an object or an injury in which the cranial cavity is opened due to a skull fracture. Open injuries often require immediate surgery to stop bleeding or relieve pressure from swelling on the brain, repair the fractured skull, or remove foreign objects that have penetrated into the brain.
Acquired Brain Injuries
An acquired brain injury refers to any brain injury that is not caused by a traumatic force. In car accidents, an acquired brain injury usually arises due to a lack of blood or oxygen flow to the brain, which can quickly lead to cell death in brain tissue. Blood or oxygen flow may be cut off due to restrictions on breathing caused by throat, chest, or lung injuries or by smoke inhalation from a fire, or due to the heart stopping due to injuries suffered in an accident.
Contact a Pittsburgh Personal Injury Lawyer to Discuss Your Car Accident Case in Pennsylvania
Did you or a loved one sustain serious injuries due to a car accident in Pennsylvania? Don’t let the medical bills pile up while you wait for the negligent party or their insurance company to do the right thing. Right now, you need an aggressive personal injury attorney on your side, fighting to get you the compensation you need, want, and deserve. The skilled attorneys at Berger & Lagnese, LLC represent clients injured because of car accidents in Butler, Cranberry Township, Erie, Greensburg, and throughout Pennsylvania. Call (412) 471-4300 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation about your case. We have an office conveniently located at 310 Grant St. #720, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.