Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most severe injuries you can sustain in a car accident. Car accidents are the second leading cause of these injuries, contributing to 17 percent of the total, right after falls, contributing to 35 percent of the injuries.
TBIs result from a blow or jolt to the head, which is common in a car accident.
How Can a Car Accident Cause a TBI?
During a car accident, you are forced to stop suddenly. You also get subjected to a violent movement due to the impact. This can cause you to hit your head on the dashboard, steering wheel, or the window. A free-flying object such as your laptop can also hit you. These injuries are usually accompanied by whiplash, normally caused when your head is violently thrown backward and then suddenly forwards.
“5.3 million Americans currently have a long term need for help to perform daily chores due to the effects of TBI."
When this happens, the brain knocks against the inside of the skull at this high speed resulting in symptoms of TBI. It also results in neck pain.
When you are involved in a collision, the vehicle stops abruptly. Your body continues to move forward at the same speed you were traveling before the impact when the car comes to a stop. This causes the brain to hit the skull with force.
If the car is struck from the side, the same movement occurs but this time in a sideways motion. This type of injury usually interferes with normal brain functions.
We have different types of TBIs that you can sustain in a car accident:
Open Head Injuries
These aren’t very common. They occur when the brain gets penetrated by a foreign object such as debris from a car accident. The debris usually tears the neural fibers. Blows to the head by a hard or sharp object can cause an open injury. These types of injuries cause sensory difficulties and changes in behavior in the area of the brain that has been injured.
Closed Head Injuries
These are more common and don’t involve penetration of the head. This is usually as a result of the head hitting an object, for instance, the dashboard, with hard force. The force pushes the brain forward, and it collides against the skill and affects the nerve connections within the brain. This is the most common type of TBI that results from a car accident.
Mild Severity TBI
We can also categorize the injuries using the severity. This arises due to concussions that result in mild loss of consciousness. Symptoms include dizziness, headaches, and fatigue. If you get a concussion during the accident, it is categorized as a mild TBI.
Moderate Severity TBI
This results in swelling, bruising and bleeding unto the brain. The injury ruptures the brain's blood vessels, putting pressure on the brain. It leads to loss of consciousness for between 30 minutes and 24 hours. Symptoms include confusion for a few days and cognitive and behavioral impairment for a few months.
Severe TBI
This results in comas that can last for weeks or even longer. It can lead to permanent damage to bodily functions.
Whether you have experienced a mild or severe TBI in an accident, you need to get compensated for the losses you will incur. Talk to competent traumatic brain injury lawyers that have handled such cases before to help you navigate the process of filing a claim and negotiating for a settlement.
Diagnosing TBIs
You need to prove that you suffered a TBI due to the injury before you can file for compensation. Visit your doctor so that he can perform a CT scan or an MRI to diagnose the extent of the damage. They use the finding to come up with a treatment plan for you.
You Need a Lawyer to Help You Get Justice
A TBI due to a car accident can change your life drastically. You need to hold the person who caused the accident accountable and get justice. Traumatic brain injury lawyers can help you get the justice you deserve and a fair settlement. Call today to begin the process.
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