The National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that over 14% of all traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are caused by car accidents in the United States. A different NIH study found that almost 40% of all hospitalized drivers had TBIs. These statistics indicate that brain damage is quite common for victims of car accidents – providing a clear answer to the question: “Can you get brain damage from a car accident?” The nature of these brain injuries may affect cognitive function after a crash – making it more difficult to handle legal, financial, and medical steps. TBI patients do not need to navigate these steps alone, and an experienced car accident lawyer in Mississippi may be able to provide assistance. To learn more about the next steps after a car accident brain injury, consider calling Lott Law at (228) 215-2787.
How Do Car Accidents Cause Brain Damage?
Car accidents may cause brain damage in various ways. The specific mechanisms of each brain injury depend on the nature of each accident. Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists may be particularly vulnerable due to their lack of protection. Although a direct blow to the head is the most common cause of brain damage, this injury can occur in less obvious ways.
How Do Vehicle Occupants Suffer Brain Damage?
Vehicle occupants tend to suffer brain injuries by striking their heads on interior surfaces. Frontal and rear collisions may jolt occupants forward, causing them to hit their heads on steering wheels and dashboards. Side impacts and rollovers can fling occupants into windows and side columns. That being said, a brain injury can occur without any external impact to the head area. A strong jolt can cause the brain to shift within the cranium and impact the interior cranial wall. This can cause intracranial hemorrhaging (bleeding of the brain), cerebral contusions (brain bruising), and other serious issues.
How Do Pedestrians, Cyclists, and Motorcyclists Suffer Brain Damage?
Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists are more vulnerable to severe TBIs and serious brain damage. When a vehicle impacts a pedestrian, the initial point of impact is normally at the knee area. However, this initial impact can catapult the pedestrian onto the hood or windshield – causing secondary impacts to the head and upper extremities. The pedestrian may also suffer tertiary head injuries after falling off the vehicle and impacting the road.
The same basic logic applies to motorcyclists and cyclists. However, negligent drivers often force motorcyclists to swerve off the road before impacting trees, concrete walls, and other barriers – even if no vehicular collision occurs. These impacts with solid barriers eject riders over their handlebars at high speeds – causing catastrophic head injuries. Often, these head injuries prove fatal.
Oxygen Deprivation Can Also Cause Brain Damage
All possibilities should be considered when asking the question: “Can you get brain damage from a car accident?” A less obvious cause of brain damage is oxygen starvation, which car accident victims may suffer in various ways. Even if the victim never struck their head, smoke inhalation can cause catastrophic brain damage after a fiery crash. This threat is particularly serious if the victim becomes entrapped within their wrecked vehicle after a collision.
As the flames rise, the victim may be forced to inhale considerable amounts of smoke. Sometimes, this smoke is laced with dangerous chemicals – especially if the fire stems from an electric vehicle (EV) battery. These batteries may produce lead fumes, and lead is one of the most harmful neurotoxins on the planet. Brain damage may also occur if the vehicle falls into a body of water, as this may cause oxygen starvation via drowning.
Claiming Damages for Brain Damage After a Car Accident
Victims who experience brain damage after a car accident should consider their various damages. In the legal world, damages represent losses – and they may be financial or psychological.
What Are the Economic Damages for Brain Damage?
Brain damage can be difficult to treat, and survivors may go through extensive rehabilitation to re-learn basic life skills. Patients with serious brain damage may need to re-learn how to speak and walk. In the immediate aftermath of a car accident, the patient may require surgery and other treatments to address potentially life-threatening issues like brain bleeds.
Brain injury patients may also miss months or years of work while they recover. Many experience permanent disabilities and never work again after their car accidents. Medical expenses and missed earnings represent “economic damages,” and victims should pursue compensation for these losses. Lott Law may be able to help patients recover enough compensation to access effective medical treatment while covering lost wages.
What Are the Non-Economic Damages for Brain Damage?
Non-economic damages for brain injuries are complex and extensive. A common issue for many TBI patients is depression. Another frequent co-morbidity is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Brain damage may also cause patients to suffer from anxiety or social withdrawal. Sometimes, brain damage causes drastic personality changes, and these changes can be disturbing for both the victims and their family members. Some TBI patients experience a total loss of inhibition, causing them to speak or behave inappropriately. Certain brain injuries could cause patients to experience changes in their sexuality. These shifts can destroy relationships, and spouses may feel as though they no longer recognize their partners.
These psychological challenges may lead to additional compensation for brain injury victims. If a brain injury is so severe that the victim can no longer engage in their favorite hobbies, they may claim a distinct economic damage called “loss of enjoyment of life.” Spouses of brain injury victims may also claim “loss of consortium” if their relationships have been destroyed by personality changes.
Speak With Lott Law After an Auto Accident Head Injury
Can you get brain damage from a car accident in Mississippi? The answer is yes – but only a licensed medical professional can provide an accurate diagnosis. TBIs may cause confusion, amnesia, cognitive decline, and even personality changes. When facing these psychological challenges, it might be difficult to determine the most appropriate steps after a crash. In the immediate aftermath of an accident, it is important to put legal and financial considerations aside. The first step should always be medical treatment. Once doctors determine the specific nature of the head injury, a car accident lawyer in Mississippi may be able to provide additional guidance with legal and financial matters. Once TBI patients are stable, they might consider discussing their next steps at Lott Law by calling (228) 215-2787.
