California motorists may experience a variety of injuries from auto accidents, such as lacerations, whiplash, and broken bones. A very serious one is a traumatic brain injury. TBIs are caused by a violent blow to the head, and they range from mild to severe.
Types of TBI injuries
A closed TBI does not penetrate the skull, such as backward and forward movement without breaking the skull. An example of a closed head injury is a concussion, a mild TBI which occurs from hitting a hard object. Another example of a closed TBI is a contusion, meaning a bruise on the brain, sometimes accompanied by bleeding.
An open TBI happens when an object penetrates the skull which could occur from broken glass or metal piercing the skull. A diffuse axonal injury causes the brain to move back and forth in the head.
Symptoms and long-term effects
Regardless of the type or severity of the TBI, a victim sometimes thinks nothing is wrong because adrenalin masks the symptoms. Common symptoms of mild TBIs include nausea, vomiting, recurring headache, dizziness, brief memory loss, and brief loss of awareness. Regardless of its severity, a TBI can also occur with no loss of consciousness.
More serious TBIs could cause longer loss of consciousness, seizures, deep lacerations, uneven pupils, convulsions, and need surgery to remove contusions to reduce risk of more damage. Many mild TBIs heal on their own with little treatment, but any TBI can cause other lingering effects. Some long-term effects include trouble sleeping, anxiety, poor concentration, persistent headaches, poor balance, long-term memory loss, and changes in behavior. If you have sustained such an injury in a car accident that was caused by the negligence of another motorist, such as one who was using a cellphone and was thus distracted, you might find it advisable to discuss your situation with an experienced attorney.
