Can a Car Accident Cause a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Car accidents are among the most frequent causes of traumatic brain injury (TBI). While falls account for the highest number of TBIs, motor vehicle collisions are responsible for roughly 20 percent of such injuries. Overall, TBIs account for nearly one-third of all injury-related deaths nationwide.
In a car accident, a TBI may result from striking the head against the windshield, steering wheel, or window. A rapidly deploying airbag may cause a TBI in some situations. Occupants in a rollover often experience TBIs.
A TBI changes your life. If you are lucky, you will eventually recover and resume normal activities. Far too many people, however, suffer permanent impairment from a TBI. They may no longer prove able to work or even to live independently.
The dedicated car accident lawyers at Rutter Mills will fight to hold those responsible for your serious head injury accountable. We protect your rights and help you obtain the compensation you deserve.
TBI Types
There are various types of TBIs. Concussions are the mildest form, although they can still result in considerable medical bills and time lost from work. Other TBI types include:
- Coup-contrecoup – This is literally two head injuries. One area of the brain is injured by the initial impact (the coup), while the second injury (the contrecoup) occurs when the opposite side of the brain ricochets against the skull. In auto accidents, coup-contrecoup takes place when the vehicle stops suddenly due to the collision, with the head bouncing forward and then back.
- Diffuse axonal injury – Often occurring in car accidents, this TBI results from the brain shifting rapidly back and forth within the skull. The movement damages the nerve cells connected within the brain. Many accident victims injured in this way remain in comas.
- Penetrating injury – An item penetrates the skull, such as a projectile in a car accident.
TBI Treatment and Prognosis
Make it a point to seek medical treatment immediately after a car accident, even if you do not think you were hurt. Those with TBIs who are still conscious may not realize how badly injured they are, although their changed behavior or personality is obvious to family and friends.
As noted, a person diagnosed with a concussion will usually heal within a few weeks. Someone with a moderate TBI may require considerable rehabilitation before they can return to work. However, they may no longer have the ability to perform their former job. A person with a severe TBI may require constant, lifelong care.
A car accident attorney knows a reasonable settlement amount based on the injury and prognosis and fights aggressively for maximum compensation.
Contact a Virginia Car Accident Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered a TBI in a car accident due to another driver’s negligence, consider enlisting the services of an experienced brain injury lawyer at Rutter Mills. Schedule a free consultation by calling or texting 24/7, or fill out our online contact form.
Most claims are settled, but if the insurance company does not agree to a fair settlement, we will take the case to court. There is never a fee unless you receive compensation.
“Nothing makes you feel more vulnerable than being hurt or ill. And nobody likes to ask for help. But when you need it most, we’re at our best. We give our clients the confidence and support they need to know they’ll be taken care of – that they’ll get the best outcome possible, even in the face of a very bad situation.”
– Brother Rutter