Car accidents can lead to many different types of injuries. One of the most devastating injuries that a victim can sustain is damage to the brain, which can range from concussions to traumatic brain injuries of varying levels. Brain injuries can require victims to undergo extensive rehabilitation, and sometimes they can even alter their way of living permanently. When another motorist’s carelessness leads to a car accident and serious brain injuries, victims may be entitled to compensation to help in the costs of their recovery.
Brain injuries can cause permanent impairments, and many of these injuries are not readily decipherable in the aftermath of a car accident. Seeking immediate medical attention is important to ensure the proper diagnosis and treatment of a serious brain injury. Many different aspects of a motor vehicle collision can cause injuries to the brain, such as a victim’s head striking a stationary or foreign object, including a steering wheel or dashboard. Brain injuries may also be penetrating, whereby a piece of metal or glass breaches the skull to cause tissue damage.
The forward momentum of a crash can also cause a brain injury, since brain matter can hit either the front or the back of a victim’s skull. Drivers or passengers ejected from a vehicle during an accident can also hit their heads on the ground, leading to significant brain trauma. Symptoms that may indicate brain injuries include:
- Confusion
- Nausea or vomiting
- Blurred vision
- Drowsiness
- Memory loss
- Changes in speech
- Neck pain
- Headache
- Dizziness
Even mild concussions can cause long-term damage if they are undiagnosed or not treated promptly, especially if a victim suffers a second concussion before a previous concussion has healed, which can cause Second Impact Syndrome. This involves significant brain swelling and, in some instances, can be fatal.
Holding Defendants Liable for Brain Injuries in Car Accidents
Often, car accidents are due to one or more motorists’ negligent acts behind the wheel. Negligence occurs when one person breaches a duty of care owed to another person, causing injuries and resulting in damages. For example, if a driver tailgating another vehicle slams into that car due to a sudden stop or other road condition, causing a brain injury, that driver can be held accountable for their negligence.
Brain injuries that cause permanent impairments and disabilities also require establishing a long-term care plan to prepare for an altered way of life. These plans factor in a victim’s medical, psychological, and rehabilitative needs. Long-term care plans are also used to assess the damages associated with an injury. Victims may be entitled to compensation for past and future medical expenses, loss of income and earning capacity, and pain and suffering.
When a car accident leads to serious brain injuries for a driver or a passenger, the people or entities responsible for these injuries should be held liable.
