Personal Injury

Blunt Force Trauma to the Head Explained

Blunt force trauma to the head can cause more serious problems than just an unseemly bump or bruise.

Blunt force trauma describes any situation in which a person’s head makes contact with another object. Although injuries may not appear at first, it is important to have your condition closely monitored if symptoms should arise.

If you have been the victim of blunt force trauma, the Austin brain injury attorneys at TK Injury Lawyers are here to help.

What is Blunt Force Trauma?

A blunt force head trauma is the result of the skull making direct contact with an object. It is also known as a closed head injury since there is an object that exerts enough force to shake the brain inside of the skull.

Head injury is the most common cause of death in blunt force trauma. The severity of the injury depends largely on the size of the object and the speed of impact.

A blunt force trauma differs from a penetrating injury, in which an object pierces the skull, causing an open wound.

Causes of Blunt Force Trauma

Falls, car accidents, and sports injuries are the top three causes of blunt-force trauma to the head.

Falls

The National Safety Council estimates that 3 million older adults are treated in emergency departments each year for falls. Adults ages 65 and older are at increased risk of falling due to vision problems and a decrease in balance and strength.

Car Accidents

Car accidents often involve a sudden deceleration from a high speed. This type of jerky motion will cause your brain to move rapidly back and forth within your skull, causing significant injury.

In many car accidents, your head will make contact with another object or surface, whether it be your steering wheel or the dashboard. You cannot depend on airbags to keep you out of harm’s way.

Sports Injuries

Those playing sports are susceptible to head injuries.

Any strike to the head will cause a rapid back-and-forth movement, which can damage brain tissue. This damage can affect how well brain cells can communicate with one another.

Although not usually life-threatening, when there is any type of severe blow to the head, medical attention is required.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

Blunt force trauma to the head can often lead to a traumatic brain injury (TBI). A TBI is an injury that affects brain function. In blunt force trauma, the victim may suffer a mild, moderate, or severe traumatic brain injury.

In a recent year, there were 69,473 TBI-related deaths in the United States. It is a primary cause of disability and death in adults.

When there is a severe amount of force on the brain, it often swells. The increase in intracranial pressure (the space between the brain and the skull) can prevent blood from flowing to the brain. If the brain is not receiving enough blood flow, brain function will be compromised as brain cells begin to die.

Common TBI Injuries Related to Blunt Force Trauma

When someone sustains a TBI, there is a primary and secondary injury. The primary injury is the initial blow to the head. Those who suffer a head injury are also susceptible to a secondary injury. A secondary injury is the body’s response to the initial trauma.

Primary Injuries

Skull fracture

A skull fracture is the breaking of the skull. There are four types of skull fractures, including:

• Linear skull fracture: This is the most common type of skull fracture. In a linear skull fracture, there is a break in the bone, but it does not move the bone.
• Depressed skull fracture: a type of fracture in which the skull is sunken in from trauma sustained to the head. A depressed skull fracture may require surgery.
• Diastatic skull fracture: a type of fracture that usually occurs in newborns and older infants. This type of fracture occurs along the suture lines of the skull.
• Basilar skull fractures: the most serious type of skull fracture. A basilar skull fracture is a break in the bone at the base of the skull. Symptoms include bruising around the eyes and a bruise behind the ear. Patients with this type of skull fracture normally require close observation in the hospital.

Symptoms of a skull fracture include headaches, confusion, and pain or tenderness at the site of impact.

Contusion

A contusion is essentially a bruising of the brain, most common among children. The bruising can occur when small blood vessels get crushed, causing bleeding and swelling.

Symptoms will range from minor to severe and may include difficulty understanding speech, difficulty speaking, memory problems, and difficulty coordinating movements.

A contusion may lead to an intracranial hematoma. An intracranial hematoma is classified as a secondary injury since it usually develops days or weeks after head trauma.

Concussion

A concussion is a low-velocity injury that temporarily disrupts brain function. It is caused by a violent shaking of the head.

In some concussions, a person may lose consciousness. Common symptoms include headache, memory loss, confusion, nausea, and vomiting.

Laceration

A laceration is a tear in brain tissue or blood vessels of the brain. Greater physical force is required to cause a laceration than a contusion. Not all lacerations are visible.

Common symptoms include loss of consciousness, a persistent headache, repeated vomiting, seizures, and convulsions.

Diffuse axonal injury

A diffuse axonal injury is the tearing of nerve fibers in the brain’s white matter. It is caused by a shaking or strong rotation of the head, which can occur in a car crash.

Symptoms may include confusion, headache, sleep issues (trouble sleeping or sleeping longer than normal), and dizziness.

Secondary Injuries

• Hypoxia: insufficient oxygen in the brain
• Cerebral edema: swelling of the brain
• Increased intracranial pressure (ICP): increased pressure in the space between the brain and skull, which can result in parts of the brain being displaced (herniation)
• Meningitis: an infection that results in inflammation of the brain and spinal cord membranes (meninges)
• Intracranial hematoma: a condition in which blood pools within the skull, pressing on the brain. It is usually caused by a blood vessel that ruptures in the brain.

Physical Symptoms of Head Trauma

People who have suffered from a traumatic brain injury may experience physical, cognitive, mental, or behavioral symptoms or a combination of any of these symptoms. Sensory problems are more likely to present in mild head trauma.

Symptoms will vary based on the severity of the head trauma:

Mild head trauma

Physical symptoms:

• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Problems with speech
• Dizziness or loss of balance

Sensory problems:

• Blurred vision
• Ringing in the ears
• Bad taste in the mouth
• Changes in the ability to smell
• Sensitivity to light or sound

Cognitive symptoms:

• Loss of consciousness for a few seconds to a few minutes
• No loss of consciousness but a state of being dazed, confused, or disoriented
• Memory or concentration problems

Behavioral symptoms:

• Mood changes
• Mood swings
• Feeling depressed or anxious
• Difficulty sleeping
• Sleeping more than usual

Moderate to severe head trauma

Physical symptoms:

• Prolonged loss of consciousness: from several minutes to hours
• Persistent headache or headache that worsens
• Repeated vomiting or nausea
• Convulsions or seizures
• Mydriasis (dilation of one or both pupils)

Cognitive symptoms:

• Profound confusion
• Agitation, combativeness, or other unusual behavior
• Slurred speech
• Coma and other disorders of consciousness

Five-Year Outlook

Even if a person survives a traumatic brain injury, 50% of those who survive continue to decline or die within five years after the initial injury.

For those individuals who suffered a moderate to severe TBI, five years after their injury:

• 57% are moderately or severely disabled;
• 55% do not have a job;
• 50% return to a hospital at least once;
• 33% rely on others for help with everyday activities; and
• 29% use illicit drugs or misuse alcohol.

Blunt Force Trauma Damages the Victim Can Recover

A victim of a traumatic brain injury and his or her family members may be entitled to legal relief.

In every legal case, legal relief is paid in the form of damages. Damages are compensation in the attempt to make the injured party “whole” again.

Often a victim’s family may rely on them for financial support. A brain injury can jeopardize a family’s financial well-being, resulting in sacrifices that should not have to be made.

Compensatory damages come in two forms: economic and non-economic. Economic damages are losses that can be easily given a price tag, while non-economic damages are not easily quantifiable, but affect a person’s quality of life.

Economic damages include:

• Past and future medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Lost earning potential
• Home services
• Rehabilitation equipment

Non-economic damages include:

• Pain and suffering
• Loss of companionship, love, and affection
• Loss of consortium
• Emotional distress
• Disfigurement

An experienced brain injury lawyer will be able to assess your case and determine what damages you may be able to recover.

An Austin Brain Injury Lawyer Fighting for You

A brain injury takes a devastating toll on a family. Even if a person survives a head trauma, he or she is often left with cognitive and physical limitations that will last a lifetime. In addition to emotional suffering, you should not have to sacrifice your family’s financial future. Contact our office today to request your free consultation. TK Injury Lawyers are ready to help.