Head Injuries
Head (brain) injuries such as concussions or traumatic brain injuries are dangerous because there is often an apparent absence of physical injury. These injuries are caused by trauma to the brain from the head striking another object or being struck with force. Automobile accidents are one of the leading causes of brain injury. If you sustain a head injury it is important to seek medical attention. Often, claims can be sought in the case of injuries to the brain, and it is a good idea to hire a lawyer to ensure that your rights are protected in the complicated process.
Brain injuries are the result of the soft brain being thrown against the solid, hard skull. This forceful collision can cause blood vessels in the brain to tear, releasing blood to areas of the brain uncontrollably. This bruising of the brain can cause serious medical problems and requires treatment. The bleeding of the brain can lead to other problems like swelling which can be very dangerous. The brain is full of billions of neurons and nerve tracks which carry messages and tell the body what to do. A brain injury changes the way the messages are carried, causing changes in the way the person who has sustained the injury thinks, acts, feels and moves. Brain injuries can also affect the internal functioning of the body; things like regulating body temperature, blood pressure and bowel/bladder control can be altered. The changes caused by brain injures may cause impairment or even inability to perform functions and can be temporary or permanent. In more serious cases, the brain can be torn and suffer more permanent damage than bruising.
The most serious of head injuries are known as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Over 5,000,000 American live with a disability resulting from a traumatic brain injury. About 200,000 Americans sustain traumatic brain injuries and about 80,000 experience the onset of long-term disabilities each year. Every 20 seconds someone in the United States suffers a traumatic brain injury. These injuries can require extensive treatments where costs can climb into the millions. Often, large settlements are reached over traumatic brain injuries to cover the costs of a lifetime of therapy.
A more common and less severe type of head injury is a concussion. Concussions occur more often that traumatic brain injuries but are generally not as serious. There can be long-term consequences for concussions, but usually concussions are not very severe.
Brain injuries can easily occur in automobile accidents, even when seatbelts are worn. If the head strikes anything in the car, such as the windshield, steering wheel, headrest or deployed airbag, there is the possibility for a brain injury. Even if the head does not hit any objects or the collision occurred at a moderate speed, head injuries can occur.
Head injuries are very dangerous because they involve the brain and because there can be no physical outward appearance of an injury. Only the person who suffered the injury knows the true pain that goes along with it. The severity of a head injury depends on the force of the blow to the head. Head injuries can be anywhere from a mild annoyance to a life-threatening condition, and it is important for anyone who sustains a head injury to seek immediate medical assistance. Symptoms of head injuries include the following: headaches, dizziness, nausea, concentration problems, depression, trouble sleeping, changes in taste or smell, vision problems, sensitivity to light or sound, memory problems, loss of appetite, fatigue, ringing in ears, personality changes, increased anger and anxiety, emotional changes and/or difficulty at work or school or with relationships.
If you sustained a head injury in an automobile accident, compensation from one or more insurance companies is owed to you. The victim of a head injury may seek claims for things such as lost wages, medical expenses, etc. It is a good idea, if you sustain a head injury, to contact an attorney to help you through the complicated post-injury claims process and protect your full rights under the law.