Head injuries from car accidents can be permanent and debilitating, affecting your daily routine for the rest of your life. They are some of the most complicated and severe car accident cases. That’s why we highly recommend hiring an Ohio car accident lawyer to secure the best possible outcome for you.
At Bensinger Legal Services, we have extensive experience in head injuries. We will work with you to secure compensation for your brain injury. Contact us today at (419) 455-1410 for more information on how we can help.
What Are the Most Common Car Accident Head Injuries?
The brain is the powerhouse of the body. Any injury to the brain or skull can temporarily or permanently inhibit crucial functions.
Symptoms of a head injury from a car accident can range from mild to severe, depending on the type of injury. Seeking medical attention after a car accident is imperative, as some head injuries do not manifest right away. It can be dangerous if an injury progresses and you don’t even know it’s there.
Read on to learn about the different types of car accident head injuries.
1. Concussion
A concussion is a common type of trauma to the brain where the brain is damaged when it makes contact with the skull. All it takes is a hit to the head in a car accident to cause a concussion.
Symptoms of a concussion include the following:
- Headache,
- Amnesia,
- Blurred vision,
- Tiredness,
- Dizziness,
- Slurred speech,
- Memory problems,
- Difficulty concentrating,
- Trouble sleeping, and
- Loss of consciousness.
Concussions are dangerous because symptoms can take a while to manifest. Therefore, seeking medical attention is imperative after any type of head trauma to prevent long-term complications.
2. Brain Contusion
A brain contusion is a bruise on the brain. Like bumping your shoulder into the side of the wall, trauma to the brain from a car accident leaves a bruise.
Symptoms include those of other traumatic brain injuries, such as the following:
- Headaches,
- Nausea,
- Confusion,
- Loss of coordination,
- Slurred speech,
- Blurry vision,
- Loss of consciousness, and
- Coma.
Brain contusions can range from mild to severe. Proper diagnosis is needed to treat accurately.
Speak with an experienced Ohio car accident lawyer for help
3. Diffuse Axonal Injuries
A diffuse axonal injury (DAI) occurs when the brain’s nerve fibers (called axons) tear when the brain moves inside the skull.Â
The hallmark symptom of a DAI is unconsciousness. Others include:
- Disorientation,
- Headaches,
- Difficulty sleeping, and
- Loss of coordination.
DAI causes severe damage to the brain, leaving many victims in a coma. If they do regain consciousness, they face intensive rehabilitation efforts.
4. Intracranial Hematoma
An intracranial hematoma is bleeding in your head. It can be caused by a burst blood vessel in the brain or by trauma to the head, like from a car accident. The blood can pool inside your brain or between the brain and the skull.
Symptoms of an intracranial hematoma can take a while to appear. They include the following:
- Headaches,
- Confusion,
- Drowsiness,
- Vomiting,
- Seizures,
- Loss of consciousness, and
- Paralysis.
There are three types of intracranial hematomas:
- Subdural hematoma—occurring when blood pools between your brain and the dura mater (outer layer) of your brain;
- Epidural hematoma—occurring when blood pools between the skull and the dura mater; and
- Intracerebral hematoma—occurring when blood leaks inside the brain tissue.
An intracranial hematoma can be life-threatening and requires prompt medical treatment.
5. Penetrating Injury
A penetrating head injury, also called an open head injury, can happen when the skull is fractured and the brain is left exposed to an external object, which penetrates the brain.
Force trauma to the head, like the head trauma caused by a car accident, is a common cause.
An external object can also pierce the skull and enter the brain.
The brain may be punctured with broken glass shards, metal, car parts, and other nearby projectiles.
The main problem with penetrating head injuries is the blood loss. If emergency medical attention is not received, there is an increased risk of brain damage or even death.
6. Skull Fracture
A skull fracture refers to a break in the skull, the bone that surrounds your brain. Treatment of a skull fracture ranges from medical management for mild fractures to emergency surgery for severe fractures.
Symptoms of a skull fracture include the following:
- Pain,
- Confusion,
- Discoloration at the injury site,
- Swelling,
- Coordination issues, and
- Bleeding.
Skull fractures put you at risk for other complications, including contusions, blood clots, infections, and paralysis.
What Causes Brain Injuries?
The leading cause of brain injury in car accidents is force trauma to the head. This trauma can happen in a variety of ways, including the following:
- Head hitting the side of the car,
- Head bumping the steering wheel,
- Hard objects striking the head,
- Objects penetrating the head, and
- A forceful shake of the head.
Head injuries can also happen if you are ejected from the car and hit your head on the street or another vehicle.
How Much Will a Head Injury Car Accident Attorney Cost?
You shouldn’t have to bear steep financial costs in order to seek justice. The accident wasn’t your fault. That’s why we work on a contingency fee arrangement at Bensinger Legal Services. That means you pay nothing upfront, and we only get paid if we secure compensation for you in a settlement or a court award. Our legal fees will be a percentage of your compensation. If you don’t get anything, we don’t get anything. It’s as simple as that.
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with Bensinger Legal Services
Our experienced legal team understands the difficult road you face. We devote all our resources and knowledge to help you receive the best possible compensation for your suffering.
Founder and award-winning attorney Aaron L. Bensinger is committed to helping his clients find justice.Don’t drown in medical bills from your head injury. Contact us now at (419) 455-1410, and let us put our years of experience, network of resources, and legal expertise to work for you to hold the negligent parties accountable for their actions.
Aaron L. Bensinger is an Ohio attorney serving personal injury and civil litigation clients. He has extensive trial experience and makes client service is his primary focus. As a partner at Balyeat, Leahy, Daley, Miller & Bensinger, LLC, Aaron happily works in Lima, OH, and serves the entire Northwest region of the state and beyond.
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