3 Types Of Common Miami Auto Accident Brain Injuries
Did you know that March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month? Or that 1.7 million Americans sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) every single year? Because we’re Miami auto accident lawyers, we’re all too familiar with how devastating auto accident brain injuries can be; we have helped many people who have suffered a brain injury in a car crash fight for justice via the legal system. Car accidents, falls, and violence, are the leading causes of TBIs with car accidents contributing to about 14% of all of the TBI cases in the U.S. However, car accidents are the leading cause of brain-injury-related deaths among American children and young adults. In an effort to honor TBI victims this month and raise awareness, we wanted to dedicate a blog post to discussing 3 types of auto brain injuries commonly sustained in Miami car accidents and what the repercussions are for the victims and their families.
Concussions
What it is:
A concussion is a type of TBI that occurs when a blow to the head or to the body causes the brain to move rapidly back and forth – essentially, the brain travels in the direction of the force until your skull stops it. This can affect the shape of brain tissue, stretch and damage brain cells, and result in chemical changes to the brain cells. Because the brain is the body’s control center, any change to brain cell function can affect the function of the entire body.
Effects:
Concussions as auto accident brain injuries are not usually life threatening, but can lead to both short term and long-term difficulties. Symptoms may include headaches, light-headedness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, sensitivity to light, sensitivity to noise, difficulty concentrating, memory problems, difficulty multitasking, difficulty completing mental tasks, sleeping problems, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. Even when symptoms subside, the damage to the brain can last for decades, according to recent medical research.
Intracranial Hematomas
What it is:
An intracranial hematoma occurs when a blow to the head causes the rupture of a blood vessel and a collection of blood within the brain tissue or skull. This type of traumatic brain injury is potentially life-threatening and will usually require immediate intervention, including surgery. There are three main categories of intracranial hematomas: subdural, epidural, and intracerebral.
Effects:
Effects of an intracranial hematoma may appear right away or they may take weeks to appear. As blood fills more space in the brain, symptoms may include worsening headaches, vomiting, drowsiness, dizziness, confusion, unequal pupil size, slurred speech, paralysis, lethargy, seizures, and unconsciousness. Surgery typically needs to occur. The recovery time can be as much as three months, and physical and occupational therapy may be necessary if healing has not occurred at that stage.
Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury
What it is:
A coup-contrecoup brain injury (French for “blow” and “counterblow”) occurs when a person’s head slams against a stationary object, such as a steering wheel or window. The brain moves forward until it collides with the front of the skull, then rebounds and strikes the back of the skull due to the force of the impact.
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Coup-contrecoups as auto accident brain injuries disrupts neurons, blood vessels, axons, and other important neural structures of the brain. The damage is often irreversible. Symptoms may include headaches, confusions, dizziness, coma, loss of consciousness, loss of memory, sensitivity to light or loud noises, slurred speech. Treatment will vary depending on the severity of the injury, but could include methods like physical therapy, cognitive retraining, psychotherapy, antidepressants, and more.
If you’ve suffered one of these common Miami car accident brain injuries, you may be entitled to significant financial compensation.
An estimated 5.4 million people in the U.S. live with disabilities associated with a TBI. Without support, an estimated 75% of Americans with TBIs will lose their jobs within 90 days of returning to work, and the lifetime cost for each severe TBI survivor is estimated to be over $4 million. When your Miami car accident and resulting TBI was caused by another driver’s negligent actions, you deserve justice – you and your family shouldn’t have to bear the burden of the costs of treatment on your own.
The Florida Law Group has recovered over $1 billion for injured accident victims across the state. We have over 100 years of combined experience. No amount of money can make up for what happened to you, but our award-winning legal representation has helped many victims of auto accident brain injuries get the financial compensation they need to pay for treatment and lifelong assistance. You never have to pay for our legal services unless you win your case! Call today to schedule a free consultation.
