Car accidents can be devastating and can result in many different types of injuries. One of the most serious types of injury that a person can sustain in a motor vehicle collision is a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or other type of head trauma. Like other kinds of injuries, head injuries can vary widely in terms of severity, although even mild TBIs like concussions can have life-long consequences. According to Healthline, a head injury is a term that is used to define “any sort of injury to your brain, skull, or scalp,” and it can “range from a mild bump or bruise to a traumatic brain injury.”
Depending upon the circumstances surrounding the auto accident, a vehicle occupant or a pedestrian might suffer one or more head injuries that will require medical treatment. If you or someone you love got hurt in a car crash and suffered a head injury, you should be sure to seek advice from a Virginia car accident lawyer who can help you to seek financial compensation.
Common Types of Head Injuries in Motor Vehicle Crashes
As Healthline explains, the following are some of the most common types of head injuries that result from auto accidents in and around Richmond, Virginia:
Concussion
Concussions are a type of TBI that affects the function of the brain. According to the Mayo Clinic, they usually result from “a blow to the head” or a “violent shaking of the head and upper body,” which are common in motor vehicle crashes.
Diffuse axonal injury
These types of brain injuries do not cause bleeding but do result in brain cell damage, typically from swelling in the brain. Although there is no bleeding, this is one of the most serious types of brain injuries because it “isn’t as outwardly visible as other forms of brain injury,” according to Healthline, and can cause permanent brain damage or death.
Edema
Edema means swelling, and it can occur with some of the other types of brain injuries described here.
Hematoma
A hematoma refers to the clotting of blood outside the blood vessels, and these are extremely serious when they occur in the brain. Without treatment, a brain hematoma can result in loss of consciousness and permanent brain damage.
Hemorrhage
A hemorrhage is a term that refers to uncontrolled bleeding, and there are generally two different types of hemorrhages in the brain: subarachnoid hemorrhages (bleeding around the brain) or intracerebral hemorrhages (bleeding in a person’s brain tissue).
Skull fracture
Skull fractures, or broken bones in the skull, can result in serious brain damage.
Filing Your Head Injury Claim on Time
If you plan to file a car accident lawsuit against the at-fault driver to seek compensation for your head injury, it is critical to know that you only have a limited time window in which you must file your claim. Under Virginia law (Code of Va. § 8.01-243), most head injury claims arising out of motor vehicle crashes will have a two-year statute of limitations. What this means is that you must file your lawsuit within two years from the date of the accident in which you sustained a head injury in order to be eligible for compensation. By hiring a Virginia car accident attorney as soon as possible after the collision, you can ensure that your claim will be filed in a timely manner.
Contact a Richmond Car Accident Attorney for Assistance
If you or someone you love sustained a serious head injury in a motor vehicle crash, you deserve to seek financial compensation for your losses. An experienced Richmond car accident attorney at our firm can help you to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact The Johnson Injury Firm to learn more about the personal injury services we provide to plaintiffs in Virginia.
