Did you suffer a brain injury in your motor vehicle accident?

In 2006, a study was done at the Atlanta Nation Center for Injury Prevention and Control. This study showed that of those 1.4 million people, 280,000 people in the U.S. receive a motor vehicle induced traumatic brain injury every year. Twenty percent of all brain damage is motor vehicle related and constitutes as the second largest method. The leading cause is falling, which accounts for 28 percent. However, the traffic accident brain damage accounts for the greatest number of hospitalizations.

The brain is floating with the skull, when the head is bounced around in a motor vehicle accident the brain will not just sit there. It will smash into the walls of its cage, becoming bruised and torn. When the skull strikes the steering wheel, window, concrete, or wreckage the skull will collide against the inside of the skull with much force. The brain continues to move after the head has stopped causing bruising and bleeding at the part of the brain near the point of impact. This point of injury will normally be the frontal lobe (emotional control system) and temporal lobe (selective attention system). After hitting the front of the skull, the brain can bounce back and slam against the back of the skull. This can sometimes damage the occipital lobe, which is responsible for visual processing.

Different types of brain injuries include:

Loss of Consciousness - Loss of conscious awareness can span from being slightly dazed to being in a coma for multiple days. To receive permanent damage to the brain, in most cases it is necessary that the victim looses consciousness. The longer the period of unconsciousness, the more severe the brain damage will be.

Post Traumatic Amnesia - Memory loss of events before (retrograde amnesia) and after (anterograde amnesia) the injury was inflicted. Generally the longer the periods of amnesia, the greater the damage will be. If a patient is suffering from amnesia, they will have a difficult time gauging the true extent of their problem. Family members or friends should help track their progress.

Concussion - Altered awareness after trauma to the head. Some symptoms include dizziness, nausea, disorientation, and forgetfulness. Most cases will be resolved within a couple months.

As a result of the direct trauma, secondary injuries can occur in the brain. When tissue is injured or a blood vessel is torn, a collection of blood can build up within the skull. This is called hematoma and the bleeding can occur days after the injury was inflicted.

Edema is when swelling occurs inside of the brain causing a rise in intracranial pressure. Circulation will be damaged and blood will have difficulties delivering important molecules to the brain. Medication can help relieve the pressure, but if that doesn’t work some fluid can be drained out by drilling a hole in the patient’s skull.

If you have been injured in car, truck, motorcycle or pedestrian accident and suffer a brain injury, you will need an experienced attorney to prove your case. Contact attorney Matthew Troutman at the Kentucky Auto Accident Attorney by clicking here or calling 502-241-8000 or 859-367-0036. He will come to your home or the hospital to meet with you and start your case as quickly as possible. Mr. Troutman has 25 years of experience representing accident victims all over the state of Kentucky.