Why are brain injuries so common after car wrecks?

People can hurt their brains in numerous ways. They can fall at the grocery store and hit their head on the floor. They could suffer an injury in a fistfight or an assault. Car accidents are also a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).

People involved in car crashes may require hospitalization because of brain injuries, and sometimes they may not even realize they have injuries until a day or two after the crash, possibly longer. They may have to pursue a personal injury claim because the massive costs generated by a TBI are often far beyond what insurance will cover.

Why do many people involved in car crashes develop TBIs?

They suffer blunt-force trauma

The force of impact often whips someone’s head around on their neck, potentially causing soft tissue injuries and leading to blunt force trauma. People may strike their heads on the window next to them or the steering wheel or dashboard in front of them.

The force of that blow to the head can cause bleeding, bruising or swelling that may produce significant symptoms which will continue to worsen if left untreated.

They experience violent motion

The skull does an excellent job of protecting the brain, but sometimes it can damage the brain. The motion of the vehicle during the crash might shake someone violently. Rollover crashes and collisions that send a car spinning across the street can create such powerful motions that they force the brain up against the skull, leading to major injury to the brain.

They suffer penetrating injuries or percussive force

When windshields break and frames crumple, small pieces of debris go flying. Sometimes, people hurt their brains not through the impact itself but through the secondary creation of shrapnel, which could cut through the skull and potentially damage the brain. In a rare situation involving a vehicle that explodes, the percussive force could result in brain injuries in those who are already a significant distance from their vehicles.

Anyone who experiences a severe collision, strikes their head or loses consciousness may require a medical evaluation to determine if they may have a TBI. Aggressively pursuing compensation is often necessary for those left with brain injuries after a car crash, as such injuries may lead to a lifetime of medical expenses and lost wages as well.