Whenever someone suffers an injury to the head, most people begin to panic. Typically, head injuries can affect the brain, and whenever a traumatic brain injury occurs, the negative impacts can prove frightening and long-lasting. The severity of the effects may depend on the type of injury that you suffer.
Any time your head strikes an object or vice versa or even moves too suddenly or harshly, you risk suffering a serious injury. Some people may think of “brain injury” as an all-encompassing term, but really, numerous types of traumatic and acquired brain injuries exist. If you find yourself involved in a serious car accident, you could suffer any one of several severe injuries to your brain.
Types of traumatic brain injuries
It may be important to note that differences exist between a traumatic brain injury and an acquired brain injury. As the name suggests, a traumatic brain injury typically occurs when a person has suffered trauma to the head and brain. On the other hand, an acquired brain injury can occur when the brain does not receive the proper amount of oxygen. When it comes to TBI, common injuries include:
- Concussions: Though you may think of a concussion as a relatively common injury, it can still cause serious brain damage and have lasting effects. This injury is, indeed, the most common type of TBI and occurs when a sudden change in movement or momentum affects the brain.
- Diffuse axonal: A diffuse axonal TBI can occur when your head experiences a strong or sudden shaking or rotation, which is not uncommon in a car accident. With this type of injury, brain tissue typically tears and certain abilities and functions may face severe impacts.
- Contusion: A contusion refers to bruising, or bleeding, on the brain. This injury can take place when you suffer a direct blow to the head. In some cases, surgery may be required to address the injury.
- Coup-contrecoup: If you suffer contusions to both sides of the brain, you have suffered an injury known as coup-contrecoup. Generally, bruising to one side of the brain occurs due to the blow itself, and the other side bruises due to the force of the blow causing the brain to shift and hit the other side of the skull.
- Penetration: A penetrating injury means that an object has gone through the surface of the skull and causes the object, object fragments, skin, hair and bone to enter the brain. The brain tissue can also suffer effects from rupturing, shearing and stretching.
Any of these injuries could easily occur during a car accident, and the effects could have a tremendous impact on your life. If you have suffered due to the actions of a reckless or otherwise negligent driver, you may wish to find out more information on your legal options for seeking compensation for the damages you have suffered.
