According to the Optometrists Network, car accidents are responsible for 14% of all traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) in the United States. Various medical studies have explored the link between TBIs and traffic accidents, and there is no doubt that victims can get brain damage from car accidents. The real question is how to address these injuries. Those with brain damage often struggle with cognitive tasks, making injury claims particularly complex. Families and victims facing these challenges may wish to discuss their legal options alongside auto accident lawyers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Florida. To discuss the next steps, consider calling the compassionate legal team at Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer at (802) 457-4848 to learn all of your legal options following your car accident.
How Do You Get Brain Damage From a Car Accident?
Brain damage from a car accident is almost always caused by the strong physical forces of the collision. Although the most obvious cause is a direct impact to the head area, a sufficient jolt or twist may also cause brain damage – even if nothing strikes the head. Airbags can also cause distinct head injuries. Finally, sufficient smoke inhalation can cause serious, permanent changes to the brain.
Direct Impacts to the Head Area
A passenger or driver may suffer a direct impact to the head area during a collision. Often, this involves striking their head on surfaces within the vehicle – such as dashboards, steering wheels, side columns, and so on. These injuries are associated with rollover crashes, t-bone impacts, head-on collisions, and rear-enders. Even if an inflating airbag prevents the victim from striking their head on a steering wheel or dashboard, the airbag itself may cause brain injuries. These safety devices inflate with enough explosive force to knock out teeth and cause friction burns.
“Penetrating head injuries” are particularly serious. As the name implies, these injuries involve foreign objects penetrating and breaking the skull. These life-threatening injuries often require prompt surgery, and long-term brain damage is likely.
Brain Injuries Caused by Shaking or Jolting
Brain injuries may occur with no direct impact to the head area. When a patient is shaken or jolted by a car accident, their brain may move inside the skull before impacting the interior cranial wall. In the medical world, this is called a “diffuse axonal injury” (DAI) or a “contrecoup brain injury.” When the brain strikes the cranium in this manner, bruising and bleeding may occur. A vehicular collision can jolt victims back and forth with powerful, sudden physical forces – causing “brain bleeds” without direct impacts to the head area. Also known as “intracranial hemorrhages,” these brain bleeds can be difficult to detect for both patients and doctors.
After a car accident, a victim might assume they are uninjured because they lack visible bruises. However, these bruises may be internal, and they could cause fatal levels of blood pressure within the skull. This highlights the need for immediate medical treatment after car accidents – even if motorists cannot detect any injuries. Some patients have died suddenly from intracranial hemorrhages weeks after their car accidents – with no warning signs. To address potential brain damage from car accidents, motorists should ask their doctors about various testing protocols, including CT scans.
Brain Injuries Caused by Smoke Inhalation
Some of the most traumatic and life-threatening car accidents involve vehicle fires. These fires can affect both electric and gas-powered vehicles, and they may cause victims to inhale smoke. Not only can smoke inhalation be fatal, but it can also cause permanent brain damage. For example, a motorist might be trapped within a mangled, flaming vehicle for minutes before first responders extricate them. Although this might seem like a short period of time, it may be enough to alter the brain of the victim forever.
According to the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, smoke inhalation can lead to “neuron death” within the brain. Other issues include vascular congestion, hemorrhage, astrocyte activation, and axon damage. The National Institutes of Health also notes a link between smoke inhalation and permanent damage to the most vulnerable areas of the brain. Issues like chronic neuroinflammation and damaged myelination are common among survivors of fiery car crashes.
Brain Damage From Car Accidents Can Change Lives Forever
The long-term effects of brain damage from car accidents can be significant. In the legal world, the losses associated with an injury are called “damages,” and they can be economic or non-economic. Non-economic damages are emotional or psychological, while economic damages are financial.
Non-Economic Damages Associated With Brain Injuries
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety are common for brain injury patients. Victims may also experience significant cognitive decline, personality changes, and social withdrawal. “Loss of enjoyment of life” is a common damage for brain injury patients who can no longer enjoy the activities they once loved. These non-economic damages – and many others – can lead to additional compensation for car accident victims.
Economic Damages Associated With Brain Injuries
Cognitive decline can also make it virtually impossible for brain injury victims to earn income. If they manage to find employment, they may be forced to abandon skilled professionals in favor of lower-paid work. Brain injuries can also lead to physical impairments like loss of motor control, making it even more challenging to earn income.
In addition, a brain injury patient may incur significant medical costs. These injuries are often associated with years or even decades of rehabilitation. Brain surgery may also be necessary. A personal injury claim may be able to cover the cost of these economic damages. Speak with Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer for more information about damages related to a specific car accident.
Contact Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer
The Concussion Alliance describes TBIs as “invisible injuries.” Unlike a scar or a broken leg, brain damage might not be immediately obvious. Prompt, precautionary treatment is essential, even if victims merely suspect they may have experienced brain damage from a car accident. Remember, head injuries can cause cognitive decline, memory loss, and even personality changes. While facing these psychological challenges, victims may struggle to comprehend the importance of medical and legal action. Family members might need to step in and offer guidance. With help from experienced auto accident lawyers in Vermont, New Hampshire, and Florida, even those with severe brain damage may be able to effectively navigate accident claims. Consider continuing this discussion by calling our dedicated legal team at Shillen Mackall Seldon & Spicer at (802) 457-4848.