The Most Common Types of Head Injuries

With auto accidents, head injuries usually occur as a result of blunt force trauma. Put another way, the victim’s head either hits something, or is hit by something. It may be the dashboard, it may be the steering wheel or it may even be some object that was sent flying as a result of the collision. Head injuries can have both physical and psychological effects on a car accident victim. In fact, it is not always easy to separate the two. Some of the most common examples of head injuries include:

• Contusions;
• Lacerations;
• Broken nose;
• Broken jaw;
• Broken teeth;
• Eye injuries, including retinal detachment;
• Ear damage, including hearing loss;
• Skull fractures;
• Concussions;
• Traumatic brain injury (TBIs);
• Epidural hematoma (blood clotting in the skull); and
• Severe psychological trauma.

Closed Head Injuries are Not Always Obvious

If you break your leg in a car accident, you will know it. You may not know the extent of the break or the seriousness of the damage, but you know that you are severely injured; you will know that you need medical attention. Similarly, if you suffer a serious gash on your face, requiring stitches, the damage is clear and obvious. This is in sharp contrast with a class of head injuries that are referred to as “closed head injuries”. With these injuries, the damage is not always obvious. Yet, closed head injuries can be very serious. In fact, in the worst cases, they can even be life threatening.

A closed head injury is any type of head injury that does not penetrate the victim’s skull. In other words, it is an internal injury. Worryingly, not only can these injuries can be extremely serious, but they can come with a delayed onset. In fact, a victim may sustain a serious TBI or may be suffering from brain bleeding, and yet they may not show the full extent of their symptoms for 48 to 72 hours after the impact. In fact, in some cases, it may even take longer than that for the symptoms to fully emerge. The bottom line is simple: If you suffered a blow to the head in an auto accident, get medical attention as soon as you possibly can.

Head Injury Victims Deserve Full Compensation

Under Utah state law, car accident victims are entitled to recover compensation that is equivalent in value to the value of their damages. This includes financial recovery for both direct economic losses as well as any intangible, noneconomic losses. In the most severe cases, a head injury can have life-lasting consequences for the victim. Our legal team fights to ensure that head injury victims get every dollar that they rightfully deserve. Depending on the specific circumstances of your head injury case, we may be able to help you obtain compensation for:

• Emergency room fees;
• All other hospital bills;
• Medication;
• Physical therapy;
• Psychological counseling;
• Long-term disability;
• Lost wages and diminished earning capacity;
• Pain and suffering;
• Mental anguish; and
• Loss of lifestyle enjoyment.

Contact a Head Injury Attorney in Salt Lake City for Help

We can help. At Christensen & Hymas, our compassionate Salt Lake head injury attorneys have helped many head injury victims recover full and fair compensation for their damages. To request your free, no-obligation personal injury consultation, please do not hesitate to contact us today. We represent head injury victims throughout the Greater Salt Lake City metropolitan area, including in Provo, and Orem.