Understanding Head Injuries and Their Severity

In an accident, one of the most traumatic injuries that a person can sustain is a head injury. Even though the head is not the most exposed part of the body that requires protection from body impact, that impact on the head region can have adverse effects, which affects one’s overall health. 

Head injuries can lead to secondary effects such as multiple concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). There are a number of events that can lead to severe head injuries, including vehicle accidents, slipping and falling, sporting activities, or other related activities. 

In case you, or any of your family members, encounter head injury related to someone’s negligence, engage a New York City personal injury lawyer, and they will be able to guide you through the legal process in order to retrieve the money spent on treatment and other services.

Common Types of Head Injuries

  • Concussion

A concussion is the most minor and common type of trauma caused to the brain, or rather, the kind of injury commonly classed as mild traumatic brain injury accompanying a serious shake or kick to the head. It usually results from falls, accidents or sporting activities wherein people collide with others or objects. 

A concussion uncommonly causes any person to be knocked out but it can cause disorientation, amnesia for events that occurred before and after the trauma as well other brain deficits. Though concussion is not regarded to be a disease that can cause death, medical attention is still needed. 

fatigue, weakness, headache, dizziness, nausea, emergence and other symptoms. The care that these people do receive most of the time, helps them to get well within the span of days or weeks. While most recover from a head injury, the need for regular check-ups cannot be emphasized enough to prevent complications such as neurological deficits.

  • Hemorrhage

A head injury can also result in hemorrhage among other internal head injuries which is bleeding inside the skull. There are several types of hemorrhages, some of which are briefly described below.

A subarachnoid hemorrhage is one in which blood leaks into the subarachnoid space, which lodges around the brain, implying that it is a common cause of severe headache, vomiting and neurological symptoms. The intracranial hemorrhage pertains to rupture of blood vessels within the cranial cavity and may turn out to be fatal. Further sub-types of intracranial hemorrhage are:

  • Epidural hematoma – Bloodronchay between the skull and the peripheral dura mater. It follows a traumatic head injury procedure which hits the temporal and parietal areas.
  • Subdural Hematoma: Such bleeding occurs in between the brain and the outside covering, the dura mater, and is often seen with more serious head injuries.
  • Intracerebral Hemorrhage: It is a type of bleeding that takes place within deep structures of the brain and causes massive destruction.

These two instances are also associated with epidemiological and clinical features that call for surgical intervention in the first instance in order to avert threatening conditions, since prolonged raised intracranial pressures could result in irreversible brain injury.

  • Hematoma

Hematoma also occurred as a result of collecting blood outside of normal blood vessels as a head injury. In case it occurs closer to or within the brain however, it can cause hazardous pressure in the skull. Patients may complain of headache, confusion and might even lose consciousness. A patient must be treated quickly in order to lessen the bleeding as no treatment is the most devastating.

  • Skull Fracture

Amongst the list of distinguishing characteristics of the cranial cavity is skull fracture which refers to the breakage of cranial cavity bones. The durability of the cranial cavity compared to other bones is reduced due to the fact that it does not contain any bone marrow, therefore causing it to be easily fractured upon violent impacts. Symptoms of a skull fracture may include pain, swelling at the site of injury, liquid discharge from the ears or nose, as well as blackouts around the face. Skull fractures can be classified into a few subtypes:

  • Closed Fracture: No external injurious evidence appears as the skull is not broken, and the bone is fractured inside.
  • Open Fracture: The most severe skull fracture is associated with a cut to the skin or soft tissues overlying the skull and severe exposure of the brain.
  • Depressed Fracture: Fracture type where the bone fragment is directed inwards to the brain tissue.
  • Nasal Fracture: It involves fracture in the region of the nose yet can involve anatomical structures within that region.

The treatment will depend on the extent of the fracture, but still most importantly, medical response to such cases should be carried out immediately in order to relieve the pain and avert more damaging effects.

Need Legal Help? Contact an attorney

Head trauma if not taken care of properly can in turn lead to other lasting and more dangerous states, both bodily and mentally. However, if your injury is not self-inflicted in any way and it was caused by someone else’s negligence, you should get legal help. Choose a personal injury attorney who has extensive experience with your type of situation. They can help you to sue the defendant and receive all financial compensation that is appropriate for medical bills, salary losses, and emotional exhaustion.

There are many things to consider and many aspects to cover in relation to the particular case, hence the presence of a well-experienced legal team can positively change the scales of the case. And those barristers who practice in head injury cases are well aware of how much of a mess it all is and even plans on how to fight it for you.

Head injuries are of great concern as they can significantly compromise the quality of life of an individual. Knowledge of various categories of head injuries, the signs presented, and reasons for immediate medical attention are vital. If you or someone within your reach sustains a head injury as a result of an accident, you have to get in touch with a lawyer. They will navigate the legal system on your behalf and ensure that you are compensated adequately. 

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