The Different Types of Brain Injuries Accident Victims Might Sustain
With so much activity in Van Nuys, all the bustling intersections, crowded With so much activity in Van Nuys, all the bustling intersections, crowded shopping centers, and major thoroughfares, it’s not surprising that accidents leading to brain injuries happen frequently.
According to the Brain Injury Association of America, a TBI is any change in brain function caused by an external force. That force could be the rapid acceleration and deceleration of the head in a crash, a direct blow to the skull, or even an object piercing through the brain.
Brain injuries aren’t just dangerous; they’re also incredibly expensive to treat. In the U.S., the cost of brain injuries is estimated to be around $75 billion every year. The Brain Injury Association of America reports that treatment costs include:
- $8,000 per day for hospitalized rehabilitation
- $2,500 per day for residential rehabilitation
- $1,000 per day for outpatient therapy.
A Van Nuys brain injury attorney can help explain what your legal options are if you ever find yourself a victim of such accidents.
Here are common types of such brain injuries:
Concussions
A concussion happens when a sudden jolt or blow to the head causes the brain to shake inside the skull. This movement can stretch and damage brain cells, affecting how the brain functions.
Concussions are incredibly common in car accidents, especially in rear-end crashes where a driver’s head snaps forward and backward. Airbags, seat belts, and even the steering wheel can all contribute to concussions.
A person might not even realize they have a concussion. You don’t always lose consciousness with a concussion, and sometimes, brain scans show nothing unusual. This is one of the reasons why prompt medical checkups are necessary after any forceful impact to the head.
Cerebral Contusions
A cerebral contusion is a bruise on the brain. Just like you can get a bruise on your arm from bumping into something, your brain can also get bruised when it smashes against the inside of the skull. This often happens in high-impact crashes where the head hits a hard surface like a dashboard, window, or pavement.
Unlike concussions, contusions involve bleeding in the brain. These bruises typically appear on the frontal and temporal lobes, which control personality, decision-making, and memory. That’s why some people with cerebral contusions may experience mood changes, trouble thinking clearly, or memory problems.
The danger with cerebral contusions is that they can lead to swelling inside the skull, increasing pressure on the brain. In some cases, surgery might be needed to relieve this pressure.
Penetrating Brain Injuries
Penetrating brain injuries happen when an object, such as shrapnel, glass, or even a piece of metal, pierces the skull and enters the brain. These injuries are among the most dangerous and are often fatal.
The severity depends on where the object enters, how deep it goes, and what part of the brain is affected. Treatment usually involves surgery to remove the object and repair the damage, but recovery depends on how much brain tissue is affected.
Diffuse Axonal Injuries
A diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is one of the most severe types of brain injuries, and it happens when the brain twists and shifts inside the skull, tearing the delicate nerve fibers (axons) that connect different parts of the brain.
High-speed car crashes are the biggest cause of DAIs. When a car stops suddenly in a crash, the brain keeps moving inside the skull, twisting violently and stretching the nerve fibers. This can lead to widespread brain dysfunction. A study published in Frontiers in Neurology found that of 78 patients with DAIs, 30.8% died within eight months, while 45.1% made a full recovery. This shows just how unpredictable this type of injury can be.
