The Types of Brain Injuries You May Suffer in a Car Accident

You can suffer a brain injury in almost any kind of accident. However, car accidents often result in the most severe brain injuries despite standard modern safety features. Brain injuries are not always easy to diagnose, and even mild brain injuries can result in permanent damage and life-long complications. If you have been in a car accident and have suffered a brain injury, you should contact a Billings brain injury lawyer as soon as possible. 

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

The phrase “traumatic brain injury” gives people pause, likely because it sounds severe. The truth is more complicated – any injury that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain can be considered a traumatic brain injury. As a result, head injuries that are considered comparatively mild may actually be traumatic brain injuries. That said, even “mild” brain injuries can have long-term negative consequences. 

Concussions

Concussions are a common injury in car accident cases due to the forces involved in a collision. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury that is caused when forces cause the head and brain to rapidly move back and forth in a jarring motion. This can result in chemical changes in the brain and damage to the brain cells. Recent studies have led us to understand that even mild concussions are more serious than we believed in decades past. 

Skull fractures

Skull fractures can result in severe car accidents where there is blunt force trauma to the head. Skull fractures often result in brain damage, as the skull can no longer protect the brain. 

Cerebral Edema

Cerebral Edema is a condition where the brain swells and presses against the skull. This can be a very dangerous condition, as it restricts the supply of blood to the brain. Swelling is the body’s natural response to injury and can be caused by any trauma to the head that occurs during a car accident. 

Intracranial Hematoma

An intracranial hematoma occurs when blood pools between the skull and the brain. The hematoma is caused when a blood vessel or vessels rupture due to head trauma sustained during the accident. Intracranial hematomas can be potentially life-threatening. 

Subarachnoid and Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Car accidents that cause head trauma can result in bleeding in the brain. A subarachnoid hemorrhage is when there is uncontrolled bleeding on the surface of the brain. An intracerebral hemorrhage is uncontrolled bleeding within the brain tissue. Both of these are very serious injuries that require medical attention. 

Contact a Billings Brain Injury Lawyer Today 

A brain injury can change your life forever and require extensive medical treatment. Unfortunately, your insurance company will want to settle your claim as quickly as possible. Before you make any decisions about your case, call Billings brain injury lawyer Jim Ragain. He has decades of experience helping people with brain injuries in the Billings area get the compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation, call us at 406-651-8888 or contact us online to discuss your case and how we can help.