Car accidents happen daily on Arizona roads, and one particularly severe consequence of these incidents is traumatic brain injury. Our experienced Phoenix personal injury attorneys understand how any injury to the brain injury after a car accident is a serious matter, which is why car accident victims need immediate treatment, even if there are no apparent symptoms.
There are a number of different traumatic brain injuries that can result from car crashes, but these six are the most commonly seen by our Phoenix brain injury attorneys.
1. Concussion
If your head impacts with anything in the car, it can cause a concussion. A mild concussion is the least damaging brain injury that may occur in car accidents. Common symptoms of a concussion include:
- Headache
- Blurred vision
- Vomiting
- Ringing in the ears
While doctors may consider a concussion mild, it can still cause you pain and affect your health in a negative way.
2. Brain Contusion
The next common brain injury from a car accident is brain contusion. Another word for contusion is bruise. When your head jolts around, your brain may collide with your skull, and a bruise may form on the brain. Even when your head doesn’t hit anything in the vehicle, if you were forcefully shaken or jolted, it could cause a contusion. While bruises normally heal on their own, a brain contusion can cause blood clots or even bleeding.
3. Coup-Contrecoup Injury
A coup-contrecoup brain injury is more severe, as it’s essentially a double injury. When the brain is suddenly moved inside of the skull, as can happen with the impact in a car accident, an injury occurs at the site of impact and also on the opposite side of the head as the brain collides with the skull.
4. Penetration
An object penetrating the head and brain is a possible brain injury from a car accident. Objects in the car or anything hit outside of the car and sent flying through the windshield or window could penetrate your head.
5. Skull Fracture
A skull fracture is extremely common in violent car accidents. The danger to the brain occurs when fragments of the skull penetrate brain tissue. This can obviously damage the brain and lead to infections.
6. Edema
When a brain injury happens, there is always the chance that edema can occur. Edema is when the brain acquires extra liquids and begins to swell up. This is very dangerous because the skull can’t accommodate a swelling brain and it can cause damage as the brain presses against the skull.
What To Do After Brain Injury From a Car Accident
If you’ve crashed, it’s essential to get a checkup from a doctor. A brain injury from a car accident can be fatal and should be taken seriously. If you are the victim of a car accident in Arizona, you may have large medical bills to take care of. However, working with a Phoenix car accident lawyer, you could qualify for compensation for your bills and the time that you are unable to work as you receive treatment. To learn more, contact us today.