Unlocking the Science: Factors Impacting Traumatic Brain Injury in Car Accidents Explained

Unlocking the Science: Factors Impacting Traumatic Brain Injury in Car Accidents Explained

• June 14, 2024 - Traumatic Brain Injury,

I’m Mike Hackard from Hackard Law. Our firm’s personal injury practice focuses on individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries due to the negligence of others. The Sacramento area accounts for a significant number of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) cases we see.

The brain is very soft with a gel-like consistency similar to soft tofu. It takes little imagination or experience to see that the tremendous forces at work in a motor vehicle accident affect the brain. This is so whether the head is impacted or not.

Now, concussions are a type of TBI. Concussions are caused by a sudden blow, jolt, or bump to the head. There are plenty of places in an automobile where a driver or passenger can hit their head. That said, hits to parts of the body other than the head cause the head and brain to move quickly back and forth. This movement can cause the brain to bounce around, twist, stretch, and damage brain cells, or create chemical changes in the brain. The likely result – a TBI.

Airbags are lifesavers – that said, they are a balance between protection and peril. Many people survive crashes because of airbags. Concussions are much preferable to death or more serious injuries.

Airbags deploy quickly. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) explains the deployment mechanism as “An igniter in the inflator starts a chemical reaction that produces a harmless gas, which inflates the air bag within the blink of an eye” – or less than 1/20th of a second.

It’s understandable that an airbag’s deployment speed and force can cause a TBI – a concussion. The Brain Injury Association of America reports that as many as 56% of TBIs are not detected in the Emergency Room (ER). Other respected studies suggest that ERs miss TBI diagnoses 80% of the time.

These numbers are understandable. Diagnosis of TBI can be difficult because the motor vehicle accident victim may not show physical signs of injury. Persons may not feel or report TBI symptoms for days, weeks, or months following the injury. A guide provided by the VA San Diego Healthcare System reports symptoms may include physical complaints such as dizziness, fatigue, headaches, visual disturbances, trouble sleeping, sensitivity to light and sound and poor balance.

Cognitive changes from TBI include poor concentration, memory problems, poor judgment and impulsivity, slowed performance and difficulty putting thoughts into words. Accident victims with TBI often suffer from psychosocial concerns that include depression, anger outbursts, irritability, personality changes, and anxiety.

People with TBI can have a difficult time understanding that they have TBI. This is not unusual. I’ve described in a variety of other videos, articles, and my book It’s Never Just an Accident how my own experience with brain trauma (I had a brain surgery over 30 years ago) brought similar feelings to what motor vehicle accident victims often feel.

At Hackard Law, we understand the immense physical, emotional, and financial challenges that a TBI can bring to victims and their families. You don’t have to take this difficult journey alone.

Our experienced legal team is here to guide you through the complex legal process and fight to secure the compensation and support you or your family member rightfully deserves. If you need assistance, please don’t hesitate to call us at 916-313-3030.  We are dedicated to standing up for you and your family every step of the way.

Hackard Law: Remember, it’s never just an accident.