Nobody wants to be in a car accident. They can be incredibly traumatic experiences full of fear, danger, and sometimes injury. Frequently, the most frightening of these injuries are of the brain, one of the most complex and least understood organs of the body. When one considers brain injuries from car accidents, it can be difficult to know where to begin. However, understanding the different classifications of brain injury can help ensure clarity in the moment of an accident and the hope of proper financial compensation in the future.
If you or a loved one have been in a vehicle accident or sustained an injury in Mississippi, consider speaking with an experienced personal injury attorney from Lott Law by calling (228) 215-2787.
Primary and Secondary Brain Injuries
One way that medical professionals classify traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) is by separating them into primary and secondary injuries. A primary injury is inflicted on the brain in the moment of impact and is usually the most direct and obvious. In a car accident, the primary injury would often occur during the crash.
However, many such incidents have a secondary effect. Blood clots, swelling, and other bruising can all be considered secondary brain injuries, as they are a result of the body’s response to the initial impact. These injuries may take time to display symptoms, but they can often be equally as harmful as primary injuries, sometimes more so.
Closed and Open Head Injuries
Another similar classification to be aware of is the difference between closed head or open head, occasionally called penetrating injuries. Open head injuries occur when the skull is fractured or pierced and a foreign object causes direct injury to the brain. These can be caused by shards of metal, glass, or bone in a car accident related brain injury.
However, while closed head brain injuries may not be as dramatic as penetrating injuries, they can be equally deadly. Closed head injuries occur when there is no penetration of the skull, but there are numerous injuries that can occur within these confines. Impact against the steering wheel, dashboard, or window can cause the brain to collide with the inside of the skull, leading to bruising or other damage. Closed head injuries can even occur without impact if the head is twisted or shaken in the crash.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, car accidents are one of the most common causes of closed head brain injuries. While the symptoms of a closed head injury may not be immediately evident, treating them effectively can help protect against further damage. For more information on the legal implications of traumatic brain injuries from car accidents, consider speaking with an experienced Pascagoula personal injury attorney from Lott Law.
Types of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries from car accidents have a wide range of severity and symptoms. Some may be simple and easily treatable, while others can be incredibly dangerous. Being aware of the differences and causes of these brain injuries can help clarify the details of a car accident and inform the persons involved of the details of the situation.
Concussion
A concussion is among the most common brain injuries from car accidents. A concussion is a closed head injury caused by the brain’s impact against the skull generally results in a momentary loss of consciousness, disorientation, and other cognitive or physical effects. While concussions may be mild at the moment, there is a slight chance for ongoing effects during recovery that can last months.
Contusion
A contusion is essentially a bruise on the brain, where tissue has been damaged by the brain’s impact against the skull. Occasionally, this variety of TBI will come in pairs, often called a coup-contrecoup injury. The coup injury occurs when the brain collides with the area of impact. The contrecoup injury occurs when the brain changes directions due to the change in momentum and collides with the opposite side of the impact.
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)
A diffuse axonal injury occurs when the long connecting neurons of the brain, axons, are stretched or sheared by an impact. This can disrupt the brain’s normal transmission of information and significantly affect the patient’s wakefulness. A DAI can often occur when the brain is shaken inside the skull, causing the stretching and shearing of those nerve fibers.
Hemorrhages
A hemorrhage, or a brain bleed, is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when blood vessels are burst or damaged inside the brain. The excess of fluid in the brain can apply too much pressure to areas of the brain, which may lead to a stroke or some similar reaction. There are four types of hemorrhage, classified by the area of the brain they occur in, epidural, subdural, subarachnoid, and intraparenchymal.
Hematoma
A hematoma is another common form of brain injury from car accidents. A hematoma is essentially a blot clot that forms on the brain, and it can compress the brain tissue and cause damage to it. While the body generally reabsorbs most clots, sometimes surgery may be required to remove large clots.
Differentiating Between Mild and Severe TBIs
According to Mayo Clinic, mild and severe traumatic brain injuries have differentiating symptoms and being able to distinguish those symptoms can aid in classifying a TBI. Being aware of the severity of an injury can help both in getting medical help in the moment, and receiving compensation after the injury from worker’s compensation or personal injury law.
Mild brain injuries may result in several physical symptoms, such as headaches, nausea or vomiting, fatigue, speech problems, and dizziness. They may also affect the senses, such as a ringing in the ears or blurring of vision. In addition to these, there are also several cognitive effects, such as brief (no more than a few minutes) loss of consciousness, dazing, confusion, memory problems, mood swings, or changes in sleep patterns.
Severe traumatic brain injuries, which often have lasting if not permanent consequences, are often characterized by long periods of unconsciousness, convulsions or seizures, dilation of the pupils, clear fluids draining from the nose or ears, or loss of coordination. In addition to those physical symptoms, patients may also experience profound confusion, unusual behavior or agitation, and even extended loss of consciousness, such as a coma.
Frequently Asked Questions
Listed below are some frequently asked questions on the subject of brain injuries from car accidents.
What Is the Most Common Head Injury from Car Accidents?
Concussions are often the most common brain injury that occurs during a car accident, as a passenger’s head is often violently shaken in a car accident.
How Do I Know If I Have a Brain Injury After a Car Accident?
Watch for changes in consciousness, such as confusion or unconsciousness, as well as headaches, nausea, dizziness, and sensory or behavioral changes. Consider contacting a medical professional if you suspect you may have suffered a brain injury.
Contact a Mississippi Personal Injury Lawyer Today
In the aftermath of brain injuries from car accidents, it can be difficult to know what to do next. The chaos of medical bills, diagnoses, and other financial strains can be incredibly draining. So, when it comes to the legal realm of compensation, consider seeking an experienced Pascagoula personal injury or vehicle accident lawyer from Lott Law by calling (228) 215-2787.
