Yes, you can suffer a concussion or traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident if the head suddenly and violently hits an object like a headrest.
What do I do if my head hurts after a car accident?
Get checked out by a doctor and be sure to mention to the doctor all of your symptoms. Quite often head trauma like concussions and headaches is missed by doctors because the injured patient does not mention it or it is not diagnosed.
What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (or TBI) is also known as a concussion. A TBI occurs when there is a disruption of healthy brain functioning caused by a jolt, bump, blow, shaking, or other strong force to the head. TBI can result when the head suddenly and violently hits an object, or when an object pierces the skull and enters brain tissue.
What are the symptoms of a concussion?
Symptoms of a TBI can be mild, moderate, or severe, depending on the extent of damage to the brain. Mild cases (mild, traumatic brain injury, or mTBI) may result in a brief change in mental state or consciousness, while severe cases may result in extended periods of unconsciousness, coma, or even death. Individuals with TBI may experience one or more of the following:
- Pain: Constant or recurring headache
- Motor Dysfunction: Inability to control or coordinate motor functions, or disturbance with balance
- Sensory: Changes inability to hear, taste, or see; dizziness; hypersensitivity to light or sound
- Cognitive: Agitation; confusion; shortened attention span; easily distracted; overstimulated by the environment; difficulty following directions or understanding information; feeling of disorientation and confusion and other neuropsychological deficiencies
- Speech: Difficulty finding the “right” word; difficulty expressing words or thoughts; dysarthric or slurred speech
Do you have to have a loss of consciousness to have a concussion?
No, you do not have to lose consciousness or ‘blackout’ to have suffered a brain injury like a concussion (traumatic brain injury). In fact, most concussions do not involve a prolonged loss of consciousness.
What can cause a head injury?
Head injuries can occur as a result of motor vehicle accidents, falls, sports injuries (think football or soccer), trauma, domestic violence, blast or combat injuries, and numerous other causes.
Can I suffer a head injury in a rear-end collision?
Yes, you can suffer a head injury like a concussion in a rear-end collision.
How often does a head injury occur?
According to the CDC, approximately 2.87 million cases of TBI occurred in the U.S. in 2014 with over 837,000 cases occurring amongst children.
The CDC now states that each year an estimated 1.5 million Americans sustain a TBI. As a consequence of these injuries:
- 230,000 people are hospitalized and survive.
- 50,000 people die.
- 80,000 to 90,000 people experience the onset of long-term disability.
What are the leading causes of TBI-related deaths?
The leading causes of TBI-related deaths are due to motor vehicle crashes, suicides, and falls.
What are the leading causes of nonfatal traumatic brain injuries?
The leading causes of non-fatal TBI in the US occur from falls (35%), motor vehicle-related injuries (17%), and strikes or blows to the head from or against an object (17%), such as sports injuries.
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury or concussion after a Tampa Motor Vehicle Accident, call Tampa Injury Lawyer Martin Hernandez at 813.755.9500.
