What Types of Brain Injuries Are Most Common in a Car Accident?

Learn about the different types of brain injuries that can be caused by a car accident and discover what you can do if you or a loved one were the victim of a traumatic brain injury as a result of a motor vehicle collision.

A closed head injury is a type of brain injury that occurs without visible injury to the outside of the head. Closed head injuries are likely the most common type of head injury to be caused by a car accident.

A concussion can be caused by the fast back and forth motion of the head when a car collides with another vehicle or object. The brain bumps up against the inside of the skull, causing it to become “bruised.” Concussions often heal on their own but may, in rare cases, have lasting effects.

A more severe type of closed head injury that is commonly caused by motor vehicle accidents is a diffuse axonal brain injury. A diffuse axonal injury occurs the same way as a concussion does, but instead of the brain “bruising,” it will “tear” or “shear.” According to BrainandSpinalCord.org , diffuse axonal brain injuries are one of the leading causes of death in individuals with a TBI.

An open head injury is much what it sounds like — a head injury that is visible on the outside of the head. Open head injuries can occur with or without other types of brain injuries, including concussions and diffuse axonal brain injuries. They can be mild, moderate, or serious and in many cases, need surgical treatment, even just to close a laceration in the skin or scalp.

A penetrating head wound is often considered the most severe type of brain injury that can occur during a car accident. This happens when an object, usually debris, comes into contact with the head with such force that it penetrates the skull. The object may also penetrate the brain. A penetrating head wound is life threatening and requires emergency medical treatment and surgery to remove the penetrating object and/or repair damaged brain tissue.  

Were you involved in a car accident and sustained a traumatic brain injury? Don’t wait to get legal help. Call the Sarkisian Personal Injury Lawyers today for a consultation at [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-CT-NUMBER-1″] (Merrillville) or [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-CT-NUMBER-1″] (Valparaiso).