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Personal injury law & head injuries

In personal injury law, there are two major types of head injury: an open injury -- that is, one that penetrates or opens the skull -- and a closed head injury. In the case of a penetrating head injury, a gun-shot wound, for example, the scalp and skull are opened and the brain is harmed by the path of the bullet through the brain tissue. Because the resulting brain dysfunction is related to the specific area of the path of the bullet, this type of injury is usually categorized as "focal brain injury". A closed head injury, caused by a rear-end automobile collision, for example, can result whether or not the head is struck, or from blunt trauma to the head, or from any other type of situation where the head is caused to snap rapidly back and forth, creating movement of the brain within the skull. The inside of the skull is not smooth; rather it is rough, and a closed head injury often results in a tremendous variety of neurological problems.

Many people involved in car crashes may sustain a mild traumatic brain injury without striking their heads. It is, however, recognized that even such mild traumatic brain injuries can be devastating and permanent. If you have experienced a loss of consciousness or concussion in the accident, it is very possible that a brain injury may have occurred. The symptoms include memory loss, headaches, fatigue, inability to concentrate and a number of personality changes. These symptoms may be evidence of a serious brain injury. In order to determine whether you have suffered such an injury and the extent of the damage, it is necessary to undergo neuropsychological testing and evaluation by trained professionals. If you are suffering from one or more of these symptoms as a result of an accident, you should contact an attorney who specializes in these kinds of cases. For more information on head and brain injury, consult a personal injury lawyer in your area.