There is a wide range of trauma a victim can suffer in an accident, but brain injuries tend to carry the most severe consequences. It may take several months to recover, and some individuals will never return to health because of serious brain damage. Accidental head trauma is relatively common according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): More than 223,000 people are hospitalized for traumatic brain injury (TBI) every year, amounting to around 600 people admitted to the hospital for TBI every day. These figures do not include head injuries treated in the ER, urgent care, or by primary care physicians.
TBI can happen in any type of accident, but there are three forms of the injury that occur frequently. You may have legal remedies if you were hurt because of someone else’s negligence, and a Baltimore County personal injury attorney can assist with the requirements. A summary of the most common TBIs in accidents is also helpful.
- Concussion: The violent impact of an accident can cause the brain to move about within the fluid in the skull that acts as a cushion. With a concussion, the brain strikes the bone, causing tears, stretching, and other damage to brain material. Symptoms may include headaches, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light.
- Intracranial Hematoma: A blow to the head may cause the rupture of a blood vessel in the brain, allowing blood to spill into brain tissue. An intracranial hematoma is a medical emergency and usually requires immediate surgery. Unfortunately, this type of injury is also one that a victim may not notice or experience symptoms of until well after an accident.
- Coup-Contrecoup TBI: This type of head injury occurs when the victim’s head strikes a stationary object in an accident, such as a steering wheel, the floor, or the surface of the road. The brain collides with the skull as it moves forward, then slams back again. The movement disrupts blood vessels, damages delicate tissues of the brain, and can lead to significant chemical changes in brain cells.
How TBIs Happen
Accidents are the top reason for head injuries, including:
- Car crashes;
- Truck collisions;
- Motorcycle accidents;
- Slip and falls on property;
- Workplace accidents; and,
- Many others.
However, regardless of the specific type of accident, the main reason head injuries happen is negligence. In the practice of law, this is the theory of liability you need to prove to obtain monetary damages. You must show that the accident happened because the at-fault party failed to exercise reasonable care. Whether when driving, operating a business, overseeing property, or in other scenarios.
Discuss Your Options with a Baltimore County, MD Personal Injury Lawyer
If you suffered brain injuries in an accident, you may qualify to recover compensation for medical costs, pain and suffering, and many other losses. For details about the process, please contact attorney Michael A. Freedman at 410.363.6848 or via our website. We can set up a free consultation at our offices in Owings Mills or Glen Burnie.
