Brain injuries: a tragic result of car crashes

The force of impact in a car crash, even minor accidents, can cause brain injuries. People tend to think that this is only true if they suffer a hit to the head, but this isn’t the case. Anyone who has been in a car wreck should be alert for possible signs of brain injuries.

There are many things that you should know about car wrecks and brain trauma. These can come in handy if your vehicle is ever struck, whether it is a slow-speed crash or a high-speed one.

Trauma occurs in many ways

Your head hitting something in the vehicle is the most obvious cause of trauma. In some instances, you might not realize right away that you did hit your head. This is especially true if you lost consciousness, even for a short amount of time.

Another way that brain trauma can occur is when the head is moved in a violent manner. This can cause the brain to slam against the skull. In some cases, this can cause more serious damage because more than one area of the brain can hit the skull as the brain slowly stops moving within the non-moving skull.

Some brain injuries in car crashes are penetrating, which means that something goes through the skin and skull. Even if the object doesn’t touch the brain, there can still be damage. This can be from the force of impact or from shards of the skull affecting the brain.

Some delayed symptoms might occur

The symptoms of the brain injury might not be noticed right away. Depending on the type of injury and severity, you might not have any symptoms for a few days or weeks after the wreck. During this period, you should pay attention to how you feel just in case you start to notice things like headaches, dizziness, trouble with your vision, ringing in your ears, trouble concentrating and loss of consciousness. These are all signs that you should see a doctor.

Recovery from a brain injury

The recovery path you will follow depends on your circumstances. Mild traumatic brain injuries like concussions might only require brain rest. More serious ones might require pressure monitoring, shunts and other surgical interventions. Your work, family life and social activities might suffer as a result.

Some car wreck victims might opt to pursue compensation for their injuries. This might help to cover lost wages, pain and suffering and medical bills.