Head Injury Lawyer in the Myrtle Beach Area
Car accident head injuries are often catastrophic. Learn about liability and how to obtain compensation. Trauma to the skull, scalp and brain is categorized as a head injury. There are many different types of head injuries, and each requires evaluation by a medical professional. Let’s examine the main categories of head injuries, medical assessments, treatment, outcomes and liability.
Incidence of Head Injuries
Overall, 1.5 million people suffer a head injury nationwide annually. Of this number, 1.1 million visits to the emergency room are logged, 60,000 are fatal injuries and another 260,000 people are hospitalized. In addition, 5.3 million people learn to live with a head injury, with 70,000 experiencing a permanent disability. Healthline reports that 70 percent of head injuries are mild. The elderly and children have the greatest propensity for serious head injuries. Fifty-seven percent of those injured are working at the time the injury occurred.
Minor Head Injury Symptoms
The following are signs that you may have a minor head injury:
- Scalp laceration
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Nausea
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Vomiting
Severe Head Injury Symptoms
Based on the severity of the injury, symptoms may vary. The following are signs of a severe head injury along with the ones listed above:
- Losing consciousness
- Major disorientation
- Persistent vomiting
- Seizures
- Abnormal eye movements
- Balance and coordination difficulties
- Problems with focus
- Mood variability
- Clear fluid leaking from the nose and ears
- Severe and persistent headache
- Inability to hear
- Blurred vision
- Memory loss
- Speech irregularities
- Vision difficulties
- Blind spots in a field of vision test
- Muscle control difficulties
Seeing a Medical Professional
After a head injury, many assume that it was a minor occurrence and neglect seeing a doctor. This is ill-advised. It is best to be evaluated by a medical professional. This is especially true if you have lost consciousness, cannot remember easily recalled information or experience significant confusion. It is best to call 911 since moving can increase head injury symptoms and damage.
The Outcome in Head Injuries
As mentioned above, this depends mainly on the seriousness of the injury. In most cases, a minor head injury will heal with rest. However, this is not always true. An older adult who suffers a head injury, even a minor one, can experience a subdural hematoma. This happens because the older person’s veins become fragile and are more likely to bleed.
Children often heal quicker than adults since their brain is pliable, and if one area is injured, another area of the brain will take over that function. Adult recovery is slower, and some impediments often remain.
Cost of a Head Injury
An individual with a head injury caused by an auto accident may face high medical expenses. Wage loss due to the head injury can be short-lived or permanent, depending on the extent of the damage. Future costs are a significant concern since many people develop life-long disabilities.
Punitive damages may be sought in cases involving egregious acts. They are damages not meant to compensate the injured party or their family, but to act as a deterrent for similar behavior and to punish the wrongdoer financially.
Liability in Accidents With Head Injuries
Negligence is key to pursuing a personal injury claim. Without evidence of negligence, the case will be unable to proceed. At the Morris Law Firm, we send our investigators to the scene of an auto accident with head injuries to determine liability using accident reconstruction techniques. We also interview witnesses, obtain traffic surveillance camera footage of the accident and review police reports for mistakes. Once the information is gathered, our attorneys use it to build a strong case for our clients.
Morris Law Firm
Call the Morris Law Firm at (843) 232-0944 in the Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet areas to schedule a free case review. You can also contact us online. Remember, we charge our clients nothing until they win.
