Head Injuries After a Car Accident

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The types of injuries that a car accident victim can sustain range in type and severity. Head injuries, however, are some of the most common and the most dangerous. While motorists who sustain these kinds of injuries are often entitled to compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering, recovering damages isn’t always easy, so if you suffered a head injury in a car crash, consider reaching out to one of our experienced Virginia car accident lawyers for help. 

 

How Head Injuries Occur 

 

The term “head injury” is used to describe a class of injuries to the scalp, skull, brain, and underlying tissue and blood vessels in the head. Head injuries are a common result of car accidents, where victims may suffer either a direct blow to the head, or a whiplash style injury. With the former, an injured party could sustain a bruise or laceration at the site of impact, as well as a lesion when the brain strikes the opposite side of the skull. Whiplash type motions, on the other hand, can cause a tearing of the internal lining, tissues, and blood vessels in the brain, resulting in swelling and bleeding.

 

Common Head Injuries

 

Because they are defined so broadly, a lot of different injuries actually qualify as head injuries. The most common include:

  • Concussions, which can occur when the head suffers a sudden impact, with the brain colliding with the inside of the skull.

  • Skull fractures, which occur when the bones of the skull break, usually after a motorist strikes his or her head on something hard during the collision.

  • Intracranial hematoma, which is a type of blood clot in the brain that can be life-threatening in serious cases.

  • Contusions, which occur when the brain itself is bruised and can result in bleeding and swelling inside the skull.

  • Diffuse axonal injuries, which can range in severity from mild to severe and are typically caused by the brain being shaken back and forth inside the skull. 

Most car accident-related head injuries occur when a person strikes his or her head against the window, steering wheel, or another part of the vehicle. Some injuries, however, can be attributed to the physical trauma that occurs when the brain strikes the inside of the skull at a high rate of speed. In either case, the victim will likely require medical attention and extensive treatment. 

 

The Symptoms of a Head Injury 

 

The types of symptoms that a person experiences upon sustaining a head injury will largely depend on the type of injury in question, as well as its severity. Mild head injuries, for instance, often result in a raised or swollen bump or bruise, a small superficial cut in the scalp, headache, sensitivity to light and noise, confusion, dizziness, and nausea. Victims of moderate and severe head injuries, on the other hand, may experience a loss of consciousness, severe headaches, repeated nausea or vomiting, short-term memory loss, seizures, deep lacerations in the scalp, and even a coma. 

 

Experienced Virginia Car Accident Lawyers 

Please call The Jackson Law Group at (276) 777-7654 to speak with one of our dedicated Virginia car accident attorneys about your own legal options following a car crash.