You may hear people tell you that you should hire an attorney if you sustained severe injuries in a car crash. However, what is considered a serious injury in a car accident?
Serious injuries are ones that result in permanent damage, loss of a body organ or function, significantly limited use of a body part, fractures, disfigurement, spinal cord damage, brain injuries, and death. In these situations, retaining an experienced Colorado car accident attorney is extremely helpful.
At the Tenge Law Firm, LLC, our practice focuses on Colorado auto accident claims. We have years of experience assisting injured clients just like you to recover the compensation they deserve in these accidents.
Types of Accidents that Often Cause Severe Injuries
There are numerous ways you could sustain a severe injury in a car accident. Some of the most common types of car accidents include the following.
Rollover Accidents
SUVs are especially prone to rollover accidents because of their high center of gravity when compared with smaller vehicles. Many rollover accidents involve the car flipping multiple times, resulting in severe injuries such as spinal cord injuries, broken bones, internal organ damage, etc.
Side-Impact Crashes
Side-impact crashes are typically known as T-bone collisions and occur when one vehicle makes an impact on the side of another vehicle. These accidents can leave victims with severe injuries since the side of a vehicle is typically not built to withstand the impact in the same manner as the front and rear of the car is.
Head-on Collisions
Head-on collisions often occur when a vehicle attempts to overtake another vehicle on a one-lane road, so they are going the wrong way. These collisions are very serious and pose an increased risk for fatalities for both front passengers and drivers in either vehicle.
Other types of collisions can also result in severe injuries. If you were involved in any serious auto accident, contact the Tenge Law Firm today to schedule an initial consultation.
Understanding Brain Injuries in a Colorado Car Accident
One of the most severe types of injuries in a car accident is a brain injury. Brain injuries are unfortunately quite common in car accidents. In some cases, symptoms of a brain injury might not appear for days or even weeks after an accident. Some people may not even be aware they have symptoms until they engage in everyday activities of work and life.
These are all reasons why getting evaluated after an accident is so important. You may not even realize you have symptoms of a brain injury, but a doctor will.
Symptoms of a Brain Injury in a Car Accident
Brain injuries are classified as mild, moderate, or severe. A mild brain injury is one where there’s a loss of consciousness for under 30 minutes. Many traumatic brain injuries are mild, but some injured victims will experience symptoms for at least a year or more.
Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
There are multiple symptoms and signs of a mild brain injury. These symptoms include:
- Nausea,
- Coordination issues,
- Depression,
- Excessive sleep,
- Memory loss,
- Mood changes,
- Comprehension issues,
- Seizures, and
- Sensory issues.
Many victims who have a mild traumatic brain injury will fully recover and enjoy their previous quality of life.
Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury Symptoms
Victims who have a moderate to severe brain injury will experience symptoms right away or within several days. Symptoms include:
- Repeated bouts of nausea or vomiting;
- Confusion;
- Depression;
- Clear fluid that drains from your nose or ears;
- One or both dilated pupils;
- Difficulty walking or speaking; and
- Bouts of irritability or combativeness.
In the most severe cases, the victim will be unconscious for an extended period of time. They may be in a coma or need to be in a medically induced coma to potentially stop further damage.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries in a Car Accident
There are several different types of brain injuries you can sustain during a car accident. Some of the most common brain injuries include:
- Concussion: Concussions usually cause a brief loss of consciousness and no permanent damage. However, multiple concussions can cause more significant damage over time.
- Contusion: A contusion is a bruise on a specific part of the brain which results from an impact.
- Hematoma: Hematomas are blood clots in the brain that develop when a blood vessel ruptures. Hematomas can be small, or they can enlarge and compress the brain. There are different names for clots depending on where they develop. For example, an epidural hematoma forms between the skull and dura lining, while a subdural hematoma is one between the brain and dura.
- Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Also called tSAH, this is bleeding into the area that surrounds the brain. This type of injury occurs when small arteries tear during the initial injury.
There are other types of brain injuries that you might sustain during a car accident as well. Don’t assume that if your injury is not on this list, we cannot assist you.
Contact Tenge Law Firm Today
If you suffered a severe injury in a car accident, don’t attempt to handle your claim alone. Let the skilled legal team at the Tenge Law Firm assist you. To learn more about how we can protect your rights and help you fight for the compensation you deserve, schedule an initial consultation. Contact our office today, so we can review the facts of your case and advise you of the best course of legal action.