Every 21 seconds someone suffers a brain injury in the United States, according to the Brain Injury Association of Illinois. More than 250,000 people in Illinois alone are living with disabilities caused by brain injuries, and others are grieving after their loved ones died from brain injuries.
Car accidents are a common cause of these devastating injuries. Since most of us drive or ride in a car, it is important for all of us to be aware of the potential types of brain injuries that can result from an Illinois car accident.
Brain Injuries You Should Know About
Some of the different kinds of brain injuries that can result from a car crash include:
- Nerve damage / Diffuse axonal injury / shearing or tearing of white matter. A car accident victim can suffer this type of brain injury without ever hitting his head. Instead, the force of the collision causes shearing or tearing of the brain’s white matter or nerves over a widespread, or diffuse, area. The result can be a coma, a vegetative state, or death.
- Lacerations. Cuts, or lacerations, of the brain occur when the skull bone or another object pierces the brain matter. Often, brain lacerations occur along with other types of brain injuries. The specific injury that is suffered depends on the area of the brain that was injured.
- Blood clots or hematomas. Blood clots occur when blood vessels rupture in the brain. Generally, three types of hematomas may occur in the brain after an accident. These types include epidural hematomas, which develop between the dura lining and the skull; subdural hematomas, which occur between the brain and the dura lining; and intracerebral hematomas, which occur within the brain tissue.
- Concussions. A concussion commonly occurs in car accidents when a victim hits his head on something or when the force of the accidents causes the brain to crash against the skull bone. Concussions often heal themselves, but may require a lengthy recovery period.
The symptoms of a brain injury can vary and so too can the severity of the injury. However, any time you have a head injury or think that you might have a head injury it is important to seek immediate medical attention.
And It Is Important to Protect Your Recovery
If someone else caused your Illinois car accident and resulting brain injury, then you may be entitled to a legal recovery. Specifically, you may be able to recover for past, current, and future medical expenses, lost income, out-of-pocket costs, pain, suffering and other damages. But first you will have to prove your case either to an insurance company or in court. For help doing that and getting the fair recovery that you deserve, please start a live chat with us now and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced Illinois car accident lawyers.
