Head Injuries
Head injuries are quite common in personal injury cases but go undiagnosed because there is no loss of consciousness, fractures, or external blood. A mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) can result from a person’s head being thrown back and forth in a whiplash manner, causing the brain to contact the inside of the skull and causing trauma to the brain. Conventional imaging such as CT scans and MRIs often do not visually detect brain tissue damage resulting from a motorcycle accident, causing brain injury even though injured persons often suffer Post-Concussive Symptoms (PCS) for months or years following an accident.
The presence of lingering PCS indicates the presence of a brain injury with significant functional consequences that cannot be detected using current clinical techniques.
A clear tell-tale sign of brain injury is when an injured rider’s behavior is altered, particularly becoming irritable, frustrated, and short-tempered in situations that did not previously evoke such reactions. Modern imaging, such as a PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan and magnetoencephalographic (MEG) imaging are diagnostic tools that doctors can use to diagnose an mTBI and lawyers can use to present a brain injury claim to insurance companies and jurors.
There is therapy and treatments for brain injuries suffered in motorcycle accidents, but first, the injury must be diagnosed, which the attorneys at Roberts | Jeandron Injury Attorneys can assist with by connecting their clients to brain injury specialists. And while medical treatment for a brain injury can be expensive, if someone else’s negligence caused the injury, then full, fair, and complete compensation for the brain injury must be demanded from, and paid by, the at-fault party.
If you have suffered a head injury, Roberts | Jeandron Injury Attorneys will file a brain injury claim and get a fair settlement from the insurance company. Schedule a free consultation with us now.
What Causes Head and Brain Injuries?
The most obvious brain injury results from a blunt force to a person’s head, resulting in a fractured skull and possibly internal bleeding in the skull – think of a trip and fall where the head strikes the ground. The less obvious but just as real and serious brain injury results from a person’s head being shaken back and forth with no fracture and no internal bleeding.
Here are some common instances where a head injury can occur while riding a motorcycle:
- If the rider is thrown from their bike, they could hit their head on the road, pavement, or any nearby object.
- A traumatic brain injury can occur when an object can penetrate the skull causing severe damage to neurons and blood vessels underneath.
- Another vehicle could strike the rider’s head causing head injuries.
When a motorcycle is rear-ended with great force, the driver’s head is quickly thrown backward, often striking the seat, then rebounding forward, with or without striking the steering wheel or dashboard. Because the brain floats in a bath of cerebrospinal fluid inside the skull, it continues moving once the skull begins to rebound and strikes the inside of the skull, then again hits the opposite side of the skull. This kind of brain injury is called coup contrecoup.
A coup contrecoup brain injury happens to motorcyclists wearing helmets. After a collision, a cyclist’s helmet strikes a hard surface, and the brain is jostled back and forth inside the helmet.
Common Types Of Head Injuries
Here are some types of head injuries to be wary of –
Hematoma
In this injury, your blood clots outside the blood vessel. Severe clotting of blood in the brain can build pressure in your skull, which could knock you unconscious, or in the worst case, cause permanent brain damage. If you suffered this injury in your motorcycle accident, call Roberts | Jeandron Injury Attorneys. We would ensure that all the money you spend on your treatment is recovered from the culprit.
Hemorrhage
In hemorrhage, the area around your brain or within your brain tissue could suffer from uncontrollable bleeding. Subarachnoid hemorrhage and intracerebral hemorrhage are both detrimental to your head. Some of the symptoms of these conditions are severe headaches and vomiting. Get medical attention immediately if you feel any pressure building up in your brain after a motorcycle accident.
Concussion
Concussions can occur when your head collides with a hard surface, which can cause your brain to collide with the hard walls of your skull. If the impact is severe enough, you could suffer from a brain injury. Concussions can render you temporarily dysfunctional, but your brain could experience permanent damage if the concussions are repeated. Concussions require immediate medical attention. Call an ambulance if you’ve been in an accident and have injured your head.
Skull Fracture
Your skull is very strong but damageable nevertheless. If your skull suffers damage because of an accident, your brain could also get affected. This makes skull fractures a highly detrimental injury.
Symptoms of Head Injuries
It’s vital to stay alert to head injury symptoms so you’d know when to call for an ambulance. Here are some mild signs to beware of –
- Severe headache
- Light-headedness
- Confusion for a brief period
- Nausea
- Ringing in the ears
- Deafening sound in your ears
- A spinning sensation
If your head injury is severe, the symptoms would be quite different from mild cases. If you suffer from any of the following symptoms after your motor vehicle accident, call an ambulance immediately.
- Vomiting
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Dizziness
- Temporary disorientation
- Abnormal eye movements
- Loss of muscle control
- Loss of memory
- Bleeding from the ear or nose
- Confusion
Even if clear-cut head injury symptoms aren’t immediately present after an accident, let medical professionals know that you struck your head, so precautionary imaging such as CT scans and MRIs will be done on your head. In the days and weeks following the motorcycle accident, be aware of any changes in your behavior, particularly changes noted by friends, family, and work colleagues – this could signal the existence of a brain injury.
Once you’ve tended to your injuries, consult a lawyer with Roberts | Jeandron Injury Attorneys who will help thoroughly investigate a possible brain injury and will file a personal injury claim against the at-fault party.
Roberts | Jeandron Injury Attorneys
Whether you want to settle things with the insurance company or take matters to the courtroom, Roberts | Jeandron Injury Attorneys will fiercely fight your case from the start to the end. Our experience in personal injury cases will allow us to present your case and persuade the insurer to give you the compensation you deserve.
We will not only help you recover medical bills but also lost wages, permanent damage (if any) to your brain, loss of money-earning capabilities, and also reduced quality of life, as well as the pain and suffering that your family members would endure because of someone else’s negligence. Contact us to put the best attorneys in Orange County on your case. Schedule a free consultation today to get started.