Car Accidents and Brain Injuries
Statistics show that over one million people each year receive medical treatment for head and brain injuries. Furthermore, between 50,000 and 100,000 people suffer prolonged effects from these injuries. Many head injuries are the result from car accidents, even at low speeds. While some head traumas occur from hitting one’s head on the steering wheel or headrest, head injuries can still occur without hitting an object within the car.
For example, when a person hits another car, the impact causes soft brain tissue to suddenly impact the skull bone, which can tear blood vessels. Torn vessels often result in internal bleeding within the brain, leading to serious health implications. The pressure built up from excess blood can cause critical brain functions to stop working.
In a car accident, the sudden backward and forward thrust of the head can lead to tears within brain tissue. Doctors have a difficult time spotting brain tears and even advanced medical equipment like CT scans and MRI’s may overlook tears. While direct contact with an object within a car usually leads to skull fractures, which doctors can easily distinguish as a precursor to a brain injury, internal head injuries described above are more difficult pinpoint and diagnose.
If you suffered a brain injury in a Utah car accident, please contact the Utah brain injury attorneys at the Christensen Law Firm to discuss your rights and obtain a free copy of Mr. Christensen's book, "7 Biggest Mistakes That Can Wreck Your Utah Accident Case."
