Motor vehicle accidents frequently cause head and brain injuries.
Thanks to the protection provided by the skull, most of the time these injuries are treatable. But if the injury is more severe, it may result in a traumatic brain injury, or TBI.
If you’ve been in a car accident, you may have suffered a head injury and not know it. Traumatic brain injuries, including concussions, the potential to permanently affect a person’s life. In fact, TBIs cause around 34 percent of traumatic deaths in the U.S.
Car accident victims who have suffered from a head injury may be entitled to compensation from the offending party.
After getting sufficient medical attention, the victim should consult with a lawyer to determine their legal options. A skilled and experienced auto accident lawyer can help pursue maximum compensation for the claim.
Should I go to the hospital if I hit my head in a car accident?
When someone hits their head in a car accident, it’s crucial to get their injury checked as soon as possible. While some may be tempted to dismiss their injuries as inconsequential, the symptoms of traumatic brain injury don’t manifest immediately—in fact, they may not even manifest at all.
Here are some of the signs that a car accident victim needs immediate medical attention:
- Bleeding from or bruising behind one or both ears
- Any indication of a penetrating injury or skull damage such as swelling or a scalp wound
- Clear or bloody fluid running from the mouth, nose ,or ears
- Unconsciousness, drowsiness, or confusion
- Convulsions
- Change in the size of the pupils
- Facial bruising or fracture
- Blurred vision, slurred speech, or inability to move their limbs
- Vomiting
- Low blood pressure
- Stiff neck
Some symptoms—including problems with speaking, reading, writing, or memory, and altered behavior or frequent irritability—may appear much later than the time of the accident.
What happens to your brain during a car accident?
When a person is inside a moving car that gets struck by another moving vehicle, their brain goes from the speed of the car to zero in a split second.
When the human brain is subjected to trauma, especially one that occurs at high speed, the consequences can be severe. While some people may leave unscathed, others may not be as lucky.
For those who have suffered any kind of head injury, or are showing symptoms of one, the possibility of permanent brain damage is very real. That’s why it’s crucial to get diagnosed and treated right away.
How can I tell if a head injury is mild or severe?
The symptoms and severity of brain damage varies, so it’s entirely possible to suffer a severe injury without showing any symptoms. In fact, this is one of the reasons a lot of head injuries get missed or misdiagnosed. It’s best to consult a doctor immediately after a car accident, even for seemingly mild injuries.
In general, there are three level of head injury
- Concussion or mild traumatic brain injury: This a mild and temporary condition. Most people who suffer from a concussion fully recover after resting for some time. Some of the symptoms of a concussion include:
- Headache, confusion, dizziness, or nausea
- Problems with balance and coordination problems
- Problems with memory, focus, and judgment
- Slurred speech
- Tinnitus
- Post-concussion syndrome or moderate traumatic brain injury: A concussion’s symptoms may persist for several months to a year after the injury occurred.
- Severe traumatic brain injury: This level of injury includes the following types of head injury
- Closed head injury: In this type of injury, the brain suffers trauma but the skull is still intact. This is an extremely serious injury that can result in pressure on the brain, brain bleed, and other forms of trauma.
- Penetrating head injury: This type of injury involves a break in the skull or a fracture. A foreign object penetrates the skull, and injures the brain tissue.
What do you do if your head hurts after a car accident?
If a person who gets involved in a car accident suffers from a headache, it’s best to see a doctor immediately. The doctor will then do a scan of the brain and perform other tests to identify the problem and come up with possible treatment options. The person should then make sure that they follow the doctor’s instructions carefully to avoid worsening the problem.
Contact an NJ Car Accident Lawyer
Traumatic brain injuries can permanently affect a person’s life, and you may be entitled to compensation that will help with the medical expenses and lost wages.
If you or a family member sustained traumatic brain injury from a vehicular accident due to another person’s recklessness or negligence, contact a lawyer as soon as possible to see what your legal options are.
The attorneys at Grossman Law are committed to protecting your interests. We can help ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve. Call us at (732) 625-9494 today for a free initial consultation. Remember, you don’t have to fight this battle alone.
