On behalf of The Law Offices of Mitchell Clair on Friday, February 28, 2020.

While you may have done everything you could to prevent a car crash, the truth is that it’s sometimes impossible to prevent the worst from happening to you. Traumatic collisions can lead to any number of serious injuries, some of which you may now be dealing with yourself.

One of the worst traumatic injuries to suffer from is a brain injury. Brain injuries are highly unpredictable and tend to vary significantly between patients. Catastrophic brain injuries are defined as being injuries that result in permanent damage to the functions of the brain. For some people, complete recovery is impossible. For others, a severe injury like this can lead to death. The likelihood of surviving with no long-term damage to the brain is rare. The brain is a complex system of cells, and for that reason, it’s hard to say how a brain injury will affect a person until they are stabilized and on the road to recovery.

What kinds of TBIs are there?

There are two kinds of traumatic brain injuries, open head injuries and closed head injuries. Open injuries can be frightening, because the skull may be cracked and the brain may actually be exposed. Objects that penetrate the skull may also cause an open injury.

Closed head injuries have no penetration, but they can be just as dangerous as penetrating or open wounds. A concussion is one example of a closed head injury that you might suffer from.

Regardless of the injury you’ve suffered, one of the major risks is that the brain may swell. If it swells too much, it may press against the skull, which then leads to further complications and secondary injuries.

How will your brain injury affect you in the future?

It’s hard to say how your TBI will affect you, but the good news is that trauma care is improving. Early access to medical care can minimize the damage from a traumatic injury. For instance, if you can seek help immediately after a car crash, then a medical provider may be able to treat swelling with anti-inflammatory medications and reduce the risk of complications from the swelling of your brain.

TBIs are more manageable today than they were in the past, but they do still have their challenges. As someone who has a new brain injury, it may take time to adjust. Fortunately, the other party who caused your injury should be held liable for the damages, such as lost wages or medical expenses.