Car, motorcycle, and trucking accidents can cause brain injuries, but how? In this brief video, South Carolina accident and work injury attorney Rob Usry explains in plain English how wrecks can cause traumatic brain injuries, and how doctors define the type of injury.
Hey folks we're talking about how car accidents calls traumatic brain injuries. In a car crash the victim sustains a blue to the head or has her head whipped violently back and forth or side to side. That causes the brain to slam violently into the inside of the skull. It can cause tissue to tear and blood vessels to rip, especially since the inside of the skull is rough and uneven. Usually the injury is at the point of impact but sometimes it can be on the opposite side. This is called a coupe contrecoup injury. The question then becomes is it a focal or diffuse injury?
Focal Brain Injuries
Focal injury means a specific area of the brain usually the frontal or temporal lobe. That’s the front of the side of the brain. That injury can be detected many times through a scan like an MRI or a CT.
Diffuse Brain Injuries
A diffuse injury is an injury that occurs when the neuronal axons which are the long arms of the brain cells become stretched or even destroyed. Think of those arms as the telephone lines of the brain. Damaging those prevents the brain from communicating with itself and the rest of the body. And here's the scary thing about that while this is the most threatening and widespread injury to the brain it is usually undetectable through scans. Most of the time it's detected through lack of function. That’s why it's important to watch any car accident victim closely for signs of brain injury.
Contact an Injury Attorney Well Versed In Brain Injury Cases
From a legal standpoint brain injury cases can be complex cases where it's vital to protect the survivor’s right to maximum compensation. You need an attorney who is comfortable handling brain injury issues. I thank you for thinking about this with me and I hope I see you soon.
