Common Types of Brain Injuries in Motor Vehicle Accidents

Whether you are involved in a motor vehicle collision in Richmond while riding in a car or truck, or you are struck by a motor vehicle while on foot or on a bicycle, serious injuries can occur. Some of the most severe injuries that happen in traffic collisions are brain injuries. Even a relatively minor brain injury can be debilitating, while a more serious form of head trauma can be deadly. These injuries also require extensive medical care, which can be very expensive.

In most traffic collision cases where a negligent motorist caused the accident, it may be possible to file a civil lawsuit against that person in order to seek monetary damages. What are some of the most common types of brain injuries that occur in motor vehicle crashes? Our Richmond car accident lawyers can provide you with more information.

Closed Brain Injuries 

When a person is involved in a motor vehicle crash and they experience what Johns Hopkins Medicine describes as a “rapid forward or backward movement and shaking of the brain inside the bony skull,” that person can experience “bruising and tearing of brain tissue and blood vessels.” This is one type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that is known as a closed brain injury. According to Johns Hopkins, this type of TBI is particularly common in car accidents.

Closed brain injuries can be classified as mild (which may also be classified or diagnosed as a concussion), moderate, or severe. With severe closed brain injuries, a person may not survive. The severity will be based on various factors, including whether the brain damage occurs in just one part of the brain or is “diffuse,” meaning that it involves multiple areas of the person’s brain.

Penetrating Brain Injuries 

Any brain injury where an object causes a break in a person’s skull, this type of TBI is known as a penetrating brain injury. These injuries can occur as a result of intentional acts of violence (especially including situations where a bullet pierces a person’s brain), as well as motor vehicle crashes where a piece of material from the car becomes like shrapnel or a weapon and pierces the person’s brain. Sometimes this type of TBI is also known more simply as an open head injury.

Like closed brain injuries, penetrating brain injuries can be mild, moderate, or severe. The severity will depend again on a range of factors, including the extent of the damage to the brain.

 Contact a Car Accident Lawyer in Richmond, Virginia

Brain injuries must be taken seriously, and they occur with frequency in motor vehicle collisions. Indeed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that traffic crashes are among the leading causes of TBIs for people of all ages, and they are among the leading causes of death for younger people. If you sustained a brain injury in an auto accident, it is important to determine whether you are eligible to seek compensation to help compensate you for your losses. An experienced Richmond car accident attorney at Latham & Martin can assess your case for you today and can assist you with the civil claims process in Virginia.

Sources:

hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/traumatic-brain-injury

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33528230/

cdc.gov/traumatic-brain-injury/data-research/facts-stats/index.html