A car wreck can lead to various kinds of injuries for victims. One particularly traumatic one is a brain injury. These injuries can result in acute and/or lifelong effects, so victims need to receive immediate medical care.
With this said, catastrophic brain injuries caused by a motor vehicle crash may not show up immediately, which makes them particularly dangerous. It can take days or weeks for symptoms to appear, so victims of crashes must be vigilant about monitoring their health. The following are common brain injuries that might happen as a result of a wreck.
Concussions
Concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury suffered in car accidents. A concussion occurs when the brain is jolted within the skull. This can happen during sudden acceleration or deceleration in a crash. Symptoms of a concussion include headaches, confusion, dizziness, blurred vision and memory problems.
Diffuse axonal injury
Diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is a type of brain damage resulting from shearing forces during a crash, typically during high-speed collisions. This shearing causes the tearing of nerve fibers and disrupts the brain’s regular communication and chemical processes. Symptoms of DAI can range from loss of consciousness and severe impairment to persistent coma.
Penetrating injuries
Penetrating brain injuries occur when an object breaks through the skull and enters the brain. This type of injury can be particularly devastating and is more common in violent crashes where debris or unsecured items inside the vehicle become projectiles during the collision. The damage’s extent depends on the object’s trajectory, speed and nature.
Coup-contrecoup injuries
Coup-contrecoup injuries occur when the force of a blow is strong enough to cause damage at the site of impact (coup) and allow the brain to rebound against the opposite side of the skull, which causes additional damage (contrecoup). This type of injury often results from car accidents where the head is rapidly moved back and forth or side to side.
Victims who have suffered a brain injury in a crash may opt to pursue a compensation claim against those who are responsible for their harm. Working with a legal representative to seek damages can help victims to to secure the maximium of what they’re due.