Head injuries are often deadly.  Even when the skull is not broken, the head trauma can still be fatal. 

MedlinePlus.com defines a head injury as “any trauma that leads to injury of the scalp, skull or brain.”  Head injuries can be as minor as a small bump on the head to a traumatic brain injury.  Some people mistakenly believe that when the skull is not penetrated (known as a penetrating brain injury), the damage is not that severe.  This belief is wrong.  A closed head injury, meaning there was a hard blow to the head, but the skull was not broken, can be just as serious.

There are two types of closed head injuries, including a concussion and contusion.  A concussion is the most common brain injury and occurs when the brain is shaken.  A contusion is defined as a bruise on the brain.  Both types of closed head injuries are often the result of a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, slip and fall or pedestrian accident

When a closed head injury is severe, it can lead to irreversible brain damage.  More serious brain injuries can cause coma, persistent headaches, loss of sensation, paralysis, seizures and speech problems. 

What is frightening about a closed head injury is that the symptoms don’t always surface immediately after the accident.  For example, it can takes days for the following warning signs of a brain injury to appear:

  • Changes in pupils
  • Confusion
  • Drowsiness
  • Headache
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Impaired hearing or vision
  • Vomiting
  • Blurred vision

If you or someone you love has been involved in a Southern California accident and starts experiencing any of these symptoms, you need to get medical help immediately.  A head injury can be life-threatening and may require emergency surgery or other type of medical treatment.

When negligence leads to a brain injury, the person responsible can be held accountable.  Contact a California brain injury lawyer at Steinberg at 1-800-350-8888 for a free legal consultation.

Peter Steinberg
Connect with me
Los Angeles Personal Injury Attorney Since 1982