Common Causes and Effects of Blunt Force Trauma to the Head
“Blunt-force head trauma” is a term refers to any injury caused by a blow to the head that does not penetrate the skull. This is a serious trauma often seen in serious auto accidents, and physical assaults. These injuries are usually caused by someone else’s negligence. If your injuries were caused by someone else, you may have legal options, discussed below.
But first, in this article we discuss the types, causes and effects of blunt force injuries.
2 Types of Blunt Force Trauma Injuries
There are two types of blunt force trauma injuries:
- Concussions: when the brain is shaken around the skull
- Contusions: by a direct injury to the brain
Contrecoup Brain Injuries
Injuries can also occur to the opposite side of where the brain is impacted. In these severe cases, it is known as a contrecoup brain injury. When damage occurs to both sides of the brain, it is known as a coup contrecoup brain injury. Typically, these types of injuries occur as heads are in motion and strike stationary objects.
For example: a head striking a dashboard in a car crash.
Blunt force head trauma may result in a loss of consciousness or additional brain damage. These injuries can have dramatic effects on normal brain function, and these effects can be irreversible.
Causes of Blunt Force Head Injuries
Blunt force head trauma occurs when the head strikes a blunt object or a hard surface, but the skull is not penetrated during the impact. When the surface of an organ, like the brain, is breached, it is known as a penetrating trauma.
For example: When a head hits a steering wheel, causing an internal traumatic injury from the blunt force of the impact.
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, blunt force head trauma are relatively common causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBI). Annually, an estimated 1.7 million people sustain a traumatic brain injury each year. Thousands of these cases involve blunt-force head trauma.
The most common cause of blunt force head injuries are vehicle collisions. Other causes of blunt-force head trauma include:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Car accidents and Truck accidents
- Boating accidents
- Physical assaults
Effects of Blunt Force Head Trauma Injuries
Symptoms may develop immediately or manifest slowly over hours, days, or even weeks after someone suffers blunt-force head trauma. If someone suffers from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), symptoms may manifest over extended periods of time and may take ten years or more to become apparent. Some symptoms of blunt force head injury may include:
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Convulsion
- Diminished coordination
- Drops in blood pressure
- Loss of consciousness
- Partial paralysis involving one or more limbs
- Personality changes and irritability
- Severe headache
- Slurred speech
- Vomiting
TBI can also have long-term effects, including:
- Chronic headaches
- Loss of vision, taste, or smell
- Speech and language problems
- Coma
Internal bleeding of the brain may worsen the damage and can lead to death.
Damages in a Blunt Force Head Trauma Injury Lawsuit
Serious head injuries can have permanent repercussions on your health and finances. In a personal injury claim against the responsible parties, you may be eligible to recover damages. There are various types of personal injury damages which should be considered.
Compensation for Brain Injury Medical Expenses
If someone else is responsible for your head injury, it may be possible to get compensation for medical bills and other medical expenses. In head trauma cases, the bills usually do not stop after initial treatment. Ongoing or lifetime care and treatment are typical in a serious head injury. This often includes:
- Follow-up doctor visits
- Medication
- Physical therapy
- Evaluations and tests
Compensation for Lost Wages and Lost Earning Capacity
A blunt-force trauma head injury can derail careers and keep people out of work for extended periods. If someone only misses a brief time, lost wages are calculated based on hourly wages and the hours they usually work. If someone is unable to work, the math becomes more complicated. Many careers have been lost due to TBI. This causes someone’s earning potential to be significantly reduced and will need to be compensated for.
Compensation for Pain and Suffering
In most cases, intense pain and suffering accompany these types of injuries. A significant blow to the head can cause a great degree of both immediate physical pain and chronic pain for prolonged periods. The pain and suffering are often accompanied by mental anguish that can be particularly debilitating both physically and emotionally.
Fortunately, those who suffer a blunt force trauma head injury due to someone else’s malice or negligence can receive monetary compensation for these damages to help ease the pain and inconvenience.
If you or a loved one is the victim of a blunt force head injury, contact our Northern California personal injury attorneys today.
There is no need to feel intimidated at the prospect of taking legal action. We will champion your rights and negotiate on your behalf, so you can focus on healing. Our goal is to use our experience and expertise to recover the maximum compensation possible.
Do not hesitate to contact us so we can get to work on your case.