Nearly one hundred thousand people suffer traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the United States every year that have a profound effect on their daily lives. Trauma to the head can cause the brain to bruise, bleed, tear and swell. One of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are motor vehicle accidents. Trauma to be brain can be the result of the head striking the windshield, airbag, steering wheel or from be ejected from the vehicle and striking the pavement.

The Forces Involved in an Automobile Collision

A head-on <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.800goldlaw.com/Motor-Vehicle-Accident-Injuries-Compensation.html>automobile collision</a> at forty-five miles per hour can cause the soft tissue of the brain to be forced against the hard bone of the skull. This forceful collision of brain against bone can cause blood vessels to tear, leading to bleeding into the brain. This bleeding into the brain produces an increase in pressure that causes the brain to swell and press against the skull causing impaired brain function or the death of brain cells. The skull does not have to be penetrated or fractured to suffer a serious brain injury.

Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury

The symptoms of <a onClick="javascript:pageTracker._trackPageview('/outgoing/article_exit_link');" href=http://www.800goldlaw.com/traumatic-brain-injury.html>traumatic brain injury</a> vary according to the severity of the injury and the area of the brain injured. Mild traumatic brain injury or concussion symptoms may include:

  • A brief period of unconsciousness
  • Amnesia for the time immediately before and following the accident
  • Headache
  • Confusion
  • Dizziness and/or loss of balance
  • Blurred vision
  • Tinnitus
  • Difficulty concentrating

The symptoms of moderate to severe traumatic brain injury may include:

  • Persistent headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Seizures/convulsions
  • Coma
  • Dilation of pupils
  • Profound confusion
  • Loss of coordination and weakness of extremities
  • Paralysis

A traumatic brain injury may have delayed symptoms so there may be a time gap between the accident and when the physical symptoms of the injury appear. An experienced traumatic brain injury lawyer has the expertise to tie the injury to its' original cause and is a valuable asset in the pursuit of assessing liability for your injuries to the responsible parties.