Brain Injuries are often suffered by Automobile Accident victims.  The severity of Brain Injuries (often referred to as Traumatic Brain Injury or TBI) vary based upon the damage to the brain.  According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are well over 30,000 traffic accident fatalities in the United States annually and Florida is ranked in the top three states with the most fatalities.  Accordingly, it is not difficult to imagine that many of the serious car accidents that do not result in fatalities often result in brain injury.  In fact, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has reported that each year approximately 1.4 million people sustain a TBI.  of this amount, approximately 50,000 people die from the TBI.  The NINDS also reports that half of all TBIs are a result of transportation accidents – Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Bicycle Accidents and Pedestrian Accidents.

A mild brain injury could occur with a second or two or even no loss of consciousness.  A victim of a mild brain injury may feel out of sorts following the injury.  Additional symptoms could include vomiting dizziness, lightheadedness, vision problems, headaches, ringing in ears, lethargy, sleeping problems or problems with concentration.  Most doctors would agree that all victims of head trauma require immediate medical attention.

A moderate to severe brain injury might have some or all of the symptoms of the mild brain injury but the headaches, nausea and vomiting may be worse and not go away.  Moreover, a TBI victim could suffer seizures and/or convulsions, irregulary dialation of pupils, speech problems and coordination problems.  Below are a few types of specific Brain Injuries:

Concussion – is considered the most minor type of Brain Injury and generally involves a very short loss of consciousness in response to a head trauma.

Skull Fracture – is a partial or complete fracture of the bone surrounding the brain.

Contusion of the Brain – is a swelling of the brain and can be in response to a direct impact with the skull or a contrecoup injury which is the rattling of the brain inside the skull often caused by the whiplash involved in a motor vehicle accident.

Depressed Skull Fracture – is when the skull fractures and presses against the brain.

Penetrating Skull Fracture – is when a fragment of something (skull bone or a foreign object) penetrates the brain.

All of the above-listed Brain Injuries are serious and require emergency medical attention.  One of the first procedures that will likely be performed by paramedics is a test using the Glasgow Coma Scale.  This tests the patients eyes, verbal response and motor skills to rate the extent of the brain injury.  The results of this test will likely be used by Emergency Room Physicians to evaluate the Brain Trauma.  All head traumas should be taken very seriously and could be life threatening even without visible signs of trauma.

Jeffrey S. Altman of The Altman Law Firm has been representing Brain Injury Victims as a result of Automobile Accidents since 1998.  Our office is located in Miami with quick and convenient access from North Miami, Miami Shores, North Miami Beach, Aventura and South Beach.  For a Free Consultation call 305.373.3730 or email Jeffrey S. Altman at 305.373.3730.