Car accidents can inflict a wide variety of injuries – from broken bones to back problems – on Orleans Parish residents. Unfortunately, brain injury is sometimes an outcome of a car wreck. This blog post will give a quick summary of some of the various kinds of traumatic brain injury suffered by car accident victims.
One of the best known kinds of brain injuries is the concussion. Concussions are the result of direct impact trauma to the head. People who have suffered a concussion often report confusion, dizziness and the sensation of having a foggy mind. Many people lose consciousness after a concussion, although many others do not lose consciousness. People who experience these symptoms after a car accident or any other head trauma should see a physician as soon as possible.
Another kind of brain injury seen is a contusion. A brain contusion is localized bleeding in the brain; it also is the result of head trauma. Medical treatments may include surgery to remove the blood clot. Serious head trauma can result in a coup-contrecoup contusion, where the brain suffers injury both at the point of impact and on the opposite side of the brain where it slams into the inside of the skull.
A third kind of traumatic brain injury is the diffuse axonal injury. This is where shaking or rotational forces cause the pulling, stretching or tearing of brain cells. This can result in neuro-chemical disruptions in the brain, in severe cases resulting in coma or death. The exact signs and symptoms depend on exactly where in the brain the injury occurred.
Traumatic brain injury can potentially have negative impacts on a victim’s ability to work and do everyday tasks. Legal options may exist for those who have been injured in a car accident due to the wrongful act of another.
