Traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is alternatively termed a "closed head injury" or "intracranial injury", occurs when there is any kind of external event that causes trauma that damages the head and brain. Every year, millions of people suffer from TBI, with the overwhelming majority resulting from motor vehicle accidents.
The two different kinds of TBI
Penetrating brain injury: Any kind of injury to the head or brain that results in an open or penetrating wound.
Closed brain injury: A closed brain injury occurs when the trauma does not penetrate the skull and there is no open wound. This is the most common type of brain injury in a motor vehicle accident, and is usually confirmed with a CT scan.
It is caused by the rapid acceleration and deceleration of movement, causing the brain to shake inside the skull. This often results in the immediate bruising and tearing of brain tissue and blood vessels, and in the following days, significant alterations in cerebral blood flow may occur, along with fluctuating pressure within the skull.
Possible effects of TBI
TBI can cause a variety of medical conditions and symptoms, which are classified as "mild", "moderate" and "severe", which is defined by victim's Glasgow Coma Score. Some of these symptoms include:
- Coma
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Paralysis or weakness
- Poor coordination
- Double vision
- Difficulty speaking (word salad)
Impaired ability to complete daily tasks Changes in behavior Dizziness Headache Irritability Anxiety and depression Memory loss Death.
TBI as a result of motor vehicle accident
TBI can result from any blow or aggressive force to the head. This can happen during a car accident when the occupant is ejected or collides with any part of the vehicle. Injury often occurs from defective design and/or manufacturing of a vehicle.
A common example is improperly designed roofs, which cause collapse during an accident. The intrusion of the roof into the vehicle is known to cause head injury. It also allows the occupant to be ejected from the vehicle through broken windows. Furthermore, TBI is often seen when a vehicle's airbag fails to deploy, or deploys too forcefully (commonly known as "aggressive deployment").
TBI can also be caused during a collision from faulty seat backs, faulty seat belts, or faulty door latches.
Contact a lawyer
If you or a loved one have suffered a serious injury or fatality due to a traumatic brain injury in a car accident that resulted from faulty design or construction, call our experienced crashworthiness attorneys for a free consultation.
