Car accidents can lead to a number of injuries, including bruises, broken bones, and whiplash. One of the more severe injuries that are common in car crashes are brain injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 14.3% of all traumatic brain injuries are caused by car crashes, affecting roughly 2 million Americans per year. These types of injuries are so severe because the brain is the most important organ in the body, and even minor injuries to it can have long-ranging and life-altering effects.
Causes and Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are caused by violent blows to the head, either from being struck with an object or from the head coming into contact with a hard surface. There are two types of traumatic brain injuries: open and closed. An open traumatic brain injury occurs when a foreign object pierces the skull and enters the brain. A closed traumatic brain injury is caused by a bump or a blow to the head. Because closed head injuries are much more common than open head injuries in car crashes, that is the type that we will focus on here.
Traumatic brain injuries cause a wide variety of symptoms, both physical and cognitive. For mild traumatic brain injuries, physical symptoms include headache, nausea or vomiting, fatigue or drowsiness, loss of consciousness, and dizziness. Cognitive symptoms can include memory and concentration problems, mood swings, and depression and anxiety. For moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries, physical systems include convulsions and seizures, clear fluids draining from the nose and ears, numbness in fingers and toes, and an inability to wake from sleep. Cognitive symptoms include profound confusion, slurred speech, combative behavior, and even coma. Treatment for mild traumatic brain injuries usually includes simple rest and over-the counter pain relievers to treat headache. More severe cases of traumatic brain injury require immediate emergency care and surgery, since the longer a traumatic brain injury goes untreated, the more dangerous it becomes. The most severe forms of traumatic brain injury will also require rehabilitation, including psychiatry, physical and occupational therapy, and speech and language pathology.
How to Prevent Traumatic Brain Injuries
The simplest, easiest, and most effective way to prevent traumatic brain injuries is to wear a seatbelt. Seat belts provide a number of benefits, including preventing the wearer from being ejected from the vehicle and distributing the impact from a crash across the strongest parts of the body. It also goes without saying that you should always avoid driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, as any condition that increases the chance of an accident also increases the risk of a traumatic brain injury.
Contact an Atlanta Brain Injury Attorney
If you’ve been involved in an automobile accident and suffered a brain injury, you may have a personal injury claim. Contact the attorneys at Slappey & Sadd for a free consultation to discuss your case by calling 404.255.6677. We serve the entire state of Georgia, including the following locations: Columbus, Fort Benning, and Lagrange.