Head Injury

Each year, millions of people suffer an injury to their head. Often, the injury is minor and the symptoms of go away on their own.

Many people suffer from head injuries which are serious enough to require hospitalization. We have represented many individuals in the Atlanta area and all over the state of Georgia, who have suffered head injuries as a result of tractor-trailer collisions, other commercial vehicle wrecks, car accidents, and due to falls at Georgia nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.

A head injury is generally considered to occur when there is a trauma to the skull or brain. Head injuries are also usually labeled as either “closed” or “open” (also known as a penetrating injury).

• A closed head injury typically involves a hard strike against or from an object, but does not involve skull penetration
• An open head injury (penetrating) means that the object entered through the skull and may have impacted the brain.

When the brain is injured, doctors generally seek to identify what sort of trauma the brain has suffered. The most frequent brain trauma we encounter are:

• Concussion – where the brain is moved or shaken
• Contusion – a brain bruise
• When the brain suffers a bleed, we typically see the following categories:
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage – bleeding into the subarachnoid space.
• Subdural hematoma – blood gathering within the outermost meningeal layer.

CAUSES OF HEAD INJURIES

Head injuries frequently occur as a result of: auto collisions, falls, and physical assault. Head injuries may cause extensive and long-lasting brain damage. These serious head injuries may cause:

• Paralysis
• Seizures
• Coma
• Headaches
• Alteration of the senses
• Communication issues

SYMPTOMS OF HEAD INJURY

Signs of injury to the head might occur right after the trauma or they might present slowly. While the skull may not be fractured, the brain can strike the inside of the skull and suffer bruising and associated complications. The symptoms outlined below are suggestive of a serious head injury:

• Fluid draining from nose, mouth, or ears
• Pupils noticeably change
• Fracture in the skull or face, swelling at the site of the trauma
• Impaired senses
• Difficulty moving arms and/or legs
• Personality changes
• Confusion
• Decreased respiration
• Severe headache
• Slurred speech or blurred vision
• Vomiting
• Change in consciousness

For families attempting to cope with the difficulties of caring for a loved one with a traumatic brain injury, we encourage you to visit our Brain Injury Information Center. Also, the Head Injury Association is another good resource. Finally, the Brain Injury Association may also provide some helpful information.