Thousands of car crashes happen every day for many reasons, such as recklessness, distraction, drunkenness and speeding. While many of these accidents may be minor, some can cause traumatic and fatal injuries.
In a car accident, one of the most vulnerable places on the body is the head. Seatbelts and airbags may reduce some injuries to the head, but they can’t entirely protect from everything. An especially bad car accident can cause traumatic brain injuries.
Here’s what you should know:
Concussion
People are often diagnosed with concussions after slip-and-fall accidents or sports injuries. Many car crash victims also experience concussions. A concussion is a hit to the head that causes the brain to rattle around in the skull. As the brain hits the inner walls of the skull, it can release chemicals and suffer from bruises.
Survivors suffering from concussions can experience many types of symptoms, such as memory loss, confusion, headaches and sensory issues. One of the most immediate symptoms of a concussion is suffering from a loss of consciousness.
A mild concussion can be recovered from within a few days. Some people develop post-concussion symptoms that cause permanent symptoms.
Brain hernia
When the head suffers from blunt force trauma and the brain shakes back and forth in the skull then the brain can suffer from tissue damage. This tissue damage can swell up and bruise much like a bruise on an arm would. However, bruising on a brain can lead to life-threatening injuries – this is called a brain hernia.
A brain hernia can put immense pressure on the skull and lead to damaged cells. If the swelling is not resolved, then the brain could bleed. Internal bleeding, damaged cells and swelling can lead to high blood pressure, seizures, comas and death. Victims may need immediate surgery to prevent serious health conditions and death from brain hernias.
If a car accident causes severe head injuries to victims, they may need to learn about their legal options to get compensation for their injuries, medical bills and losses.
