Common Types of Brain Injuries from Car Accidents

Traffic collisions, even at slower speeds, often cause head injuries. What you may attribute to “just being shaken up,” like dizziness or a headache, could actually be a brain injury. Left untreated, concussions and brain injuries from car accidents can cause serious cognitive issues. You may also experience physical limitations after the injury. A New Jersey brain injury attorney can help you assert your rights and learn your legal options for seeking compensation.

A car accident is one of the primary causes of brain injuries. Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs) are typically classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Recovery potential varies depending on the severity of the injury. Prompt diagnosis and proper medical care can help achieve the best possible outcome for these serious medical conditions.

Brain Injuries from Car Accidents Take Many Forms

The symptoms of many brain injuries are similar, like foggy thinking, problems with balance, or nausea. The right diagnosis can ensure you get a care plan tailored to your specific type of injury. Car accidents can cause these common types of brain injuries:

Concussion

Concussions happen when the brain strikes the interior of the skull. The impact (or concussive force) causes bleeding, swelling, and torn brain tissue. Concussions can range from mild to severe, with severe concussions causing loss of consciousness of at least half an hour. In a car wreck, your head could hit the window, windshield, or even the ground if you’re flung from the vehicle.

Concussion victims have a higher chance of serious brain damage if they’re reinjured. Part of concussion treatment is quiet, stress-free rest and avoiding situations where you may experience another blow to the head.

Coup-Contrecoup Contusion

This injury happens in a similar manner to a concussion in that the brain hits the skull’s interior, but in this injury, the brain rebounds off the initial impact site and strikes the opposite of the skull, as well. The term refers to the contusions, or deep bruising, that occurs at the initial impact site and on the opposite side.

Contusion

Medically speaking, a contusion is a bruise. Brusing on the brain, even if it’s small, can cause significant damage. Larger, deeper contusions are much more serious and could require surgery to repair the damage. Contusions are a common result of traumatic brain injury. Contusions often cause painful swelling and can cause brain damage. A brain contusion also increases the chances of a dangerous blood clot, which, in turn, could cause a stroke.

Victims may have trouble thinking clearly, have problems speaking, or show physical symptoms like nausea or lack of coordination and balance.

Anoxic and Hypoxic Brain Injury

An anoxic brain injury isn’t caused by trauma but rather by complete oxygen deprivation to the brain. After about four minutes without oxygen, brain cells begin dying. Often, these dead cells won’t be replaced fast enough to prevent irreversible neural damage.

A hypoxic brain injury differs slightly from an anoxic brain injury. It occurs from a reduced flow of oxygen, not a complete loss of oxygen to the brain. The restricted flow of oxygen impairs brain cell function and leads to a slow, gradual impairment or death of brain cells.

Both of these injuries can occur as a consequence of a car wreck. If a person suffers a stroke, heart attack, or low blood pressure as a result of a crash, either of these brain injuries could result. Or, if someone is trapped & partially suffocating before they can get rescued, they could suffer a hypoxic brain injury.

Diffuse Axonal Injury

A diffuse axonal injury is a type of TBI. These are typified by the tearing of the axons in the brain. Axons are the nerve cells that connect parts of the brain to each other. This type of injury can result from a sudden stop or strong rotation of the head.

Intracranial Hemorrhage

Bleeding in the brain can happen in the space between the interior skill and the surface of the brain (subarachnoid hemorrhage). When the brain tissue bleeds, it’s called an intracerebral hemorrhage. Uncontrolled bleeding in or around the brain can cause headaches, swelling, loss of consciousness, cognitive problems, or death.

Hematoma

A hematoma is a collection of blood within the skull, usually from a burst blood vessel. When it occurs in the brain, a hematoma causes pressure that turns dangerous quickly. Hematomas may result from a car wreck. Blood may collect under the skull or in the brain tissue, causing swelling and pressure on the brain tissue and could leave the victim unconscious.

Penetration

Not all car wreck brain injuries are caused by swelling or concussive force. Some are caused by a foreign object, like a piece of metal or other debris from the car wreck, penetrating the brain. These are the most visible brain injuries but also the most delicate to treat. Even facial or head lacerations could be deep enough to penetrate brain tissue. Any head wound needs medical attention to determine whether the skull is fractured or the brain has been penetrated or compromised.

Your Legal Options After a Car Accident Brain Injury

If you didn’t cause the accident, you have the right to file a lawsuit for compensation against the at-fault driver. Moderate to severe brain injuries can cause lifelong complications. Head injuries can also trigger the onset of dementia, requiring specialized care. Some people may need permanent accommodation in a memory care facility.

The compensation you or your injured loved one receives from a brain injury settlement can cover necessary expensive and extensive medical treatment. An attorney well-versed in these cases can help you build a strong case to hold the at-fault driver accountable.

Contact a Jersey City, New Jersey Brain Injury Lawyer Today

Have you or a loved one suffered a brain injury in a car accident caused by someone else’s wrongdoing? We can help you seek justice and demand maximum compensation for your injury. Contact Brach Eichler Injury Lawyers today by calling (973) 364-8300 for a free consultation with a Jersey City traumatic brain injury lawyer.