Most people here in Ohio and elsewhere believe that traumatic brain injuries are basically varying degrees of concussions, but that is not quite accurate. Yes, some car accidents result in concussions, but victims could suffer from other types of TBI as well. Some of them could put their lives in jeopardy instead of simply causing a serious headache.
It is probably a safe bet that most people, other than doctors, have not heard of a coup-contracoup brain injury. It happens when a person’s head is hit forcefully on one side and the brain crashes into the other side of the head. This TBI is serious and requires a significant recovery period and plenty of support.
Another type of TBI that often occurs along with a concussion is a bruise on the brain, called a contusion. This mild form of bleeding could become a hematoma that most often requires surgery to fix if it fails to heal on its own. A penetrating brain injury could also happen. This injury involves the penetration of the skull by an object, which could result in epilepsy to the victim. A caveat to anyone who witnesses this type of injury — do not remove the object since it could cause further damage and bleeding.
These are not the only TBIs victims of Ohio car accidents could suffer, but they may represent the most common ones. The point is that more is at stake than just a concussion that could heal itself in a few days. The risks are much higher than that, and anyone in a collision ought to seek medical attention in order to rule out any additional damage.
