Traumatic Brain Injuries Following a Sacramento Car Accident

Head injuries frequently occur after a Sacramento car accident and many people unfortunately do not get the proper care they need until after they have begun experiencing symptoms. This is often because concussions can take hours or even days before the brain swelling gets to the point of causing obvious problems. Directly after a car accident, you should seek medical attention immediately. This not only preserves the integrity of your claim, it ensures that you are getting the proper treatment.

If you or someone you know has just been in a serious car accident in the Sacramento area and are dealing with head or brain trauma, this article will help answer some of your most pressing questions.

If you were involved in a car accident that resulted in a possible brain injury, please get medical attention right away.  If you are concerned about the cost of medical expenses, please talk to us. We work with doctors who can help you regardless of your insurance situation.
-Attorney Russ Wyatt

How Common are Concussions or Brain Injuries after a Car Accident in Northern California?

Head injuries are much more common than you may think. It does not require a “shock” or direct trauma to the head to cause a concussion or traumatic brain injury. A sufficiently jarring or abrupt stop can cause your brain to rattle in your skull. While many folks associate such an injury with whiplash, and indeed, some of the symptoms are the same, it is always recommended to have your doctor check for signs of brain swelling.

As stated prior, brain injuries do not require direct trauma to the head and are often one of the most common injuries associated with car accidents. A second concussion, while the first one has yet to heal, can be fatal.

California’s Center for Disease Control keeps statistics of Traumatic Brain Injuries, and last updated their data in 2014. That year, there were 29,380 unintentional TBIs recorded. A large percentage of those TBIs, 9,440 (or 32%) came from vehicle, pedestrian or bicycle accidents.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 118,276 crashes overall.  That means that, at least in 2014, 7% of all crashes resulted in a traumatic brain injury. Sadly, vehicle-related TBIs are way too common.

What are the Most Common Causes of Head Injuries in a Sacramento Car Accident?

There are two types of brain injuries: open and closed. Open head injuries are caused by blunt force trauma that directly causes the skull to crack open or penetrate into the brain. Closed head injuries are caused by the swelling of the brain.

Open head injuries can be caused by:

• Flying glass,
• The impact of another object, and
• A defective or exploding airbag.

Closed head injuries are generally caused by blunt force trauma, even of a properly functioning airbag, whiplash, banging of the head on the side window, or head collision with the windshield.

Of the two, closed head injuries are more common.

What Kind of Settlements Occur in Brain Injury Cases?

Settlements depend on the severity of one’s injuries. In a personal injury case, a plaintiff is entitled to recover both economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include:

• Medical expenses,
• Lost wages during recovery,
• Any expenses related to your injury,
• Lost future wages, and
• Lost employability.

In cases in which the brain injury is so severe that it renders the driver unable to perform the duties related to his or her job, then the victim is entitled to be compensated for lost present and future wages. This can also include compensation for training related to a replacement job.

Non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering,
• Reduced quality of life,
• Loss of enjoyment, and
• Loss of consortium.

In cases in which your injuries are severe enough to prevent you from being intimate with your spouse, cause you to endure chronic pain, reduce the overall quality of your life, and prevent you from enjoying activities you once enjoyed, you are entitled to be compensated for that.

Does Insurance Pay for Head Injuries?

Yes. Since California is a tort state when it comes to auto accidents, you would file a claim against the other driver’s insurance policy. You can also file a claim against a med pay policy or your own uninsured/underinsured driver’s policy. Ideally, these policies would cover the total expenses related to your economic losses and compensate you for your emotional and physical losses as well.

What Kind of Symptoms Result From Brain Injuries and Concussions?

The most common form of traumatic brain injury is a concussion. It is a basic and common injury that occurs after a car accident. The majority of symptoms are caused by pressure building up in the skull after the brain swells.

Common symptoms of a concussion include:

• A feeling of pressure in the head,
• Headache,
• Temporary loss of consciousness,
• Feeling like you are in a fog,
• Amnesia,
• Dizziness,
• Ringing in the ears,
• Slurred speech,
• Nausea,
• Vomiting,
• Concentration problems,
• Memory problems, and
• Fatigue

The symptoms can occur immediately after the event or take a few hours or days before you fully begin to experience them.

Delayed symptoms include:

• Irritability or personality changes,
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering,
• Sleep disturbances,
• Sensitivity to light and sound,
• Depression and anxiety, and
• Disorders involving taste and smell.

The most serious symptoms include:

• Prolonged trouble with coordination, concentration, or memory problems,
• Seizures,
• Recurring dizziness, and
• Worsening symptoms.

Does Brain Damage Occur from a TMI?

Brain damage can occur when traumatic brain injury results in some form of serious impairment. Since the location of the brain damage determines what functions are impaired, it can be difficult to generalize on individual types of brain damage.

Those who acquire brain damage through a car accident require prolonged occupational therapy geared toward restoring the functions that were damaged as a result of the injury. In many cases, the damage is temporary and even though the brain damage may not be repairable, another part of the brain can relearn what was lost when the brain was damaged.

Nonetheless, it can take months and even years to restore that brain function. During that time, you may be out of work, be incurring substantial medical expenses, and dealing with the emotional trauma of an uncertain future.

The Severity of Brain Injury

Even in cases in which the brain injury is considered “mild” 15% of individuals will have problems that persist one year after the traumatic event. Those who suffer severe brain injury may experience difficulties with cognition, coordination, memory problems, impaired decision-making capacity, and psychiatric symptoms such as perception disorders.

The physical symptoms may never go away. Seizures, tremors, fatigue, paralysis, persistent headaches may severely reduce their quality of life.

Talk to a Sacramento, California Brain Injury Attorney

When someone suffers a brain injury, it is not just the victim who experiences the consequences. A brain injury victim’s family may rely on his or her income, emotional guidance, love, and support. If you or someone you love has been in a serious car accident, talk to Wyatt Law Corp Car Accident Attorneys today and set up a free consultation. We can help.