While any car accident has the potential to leave you with life-altering injuries, collisions involving trucks and heavy-duty vehicles are likely to have devastating outcomes. The impact of the crash can result in the accident victim may sustain a wide range of head and brain injuries.
Head injuries resulting from truck accidents can range from mild to severe. Minor injuries can result in difficulty in reading, concentrating or managing emotions. Severe brain injuries, on the other hand, can result in the victim requiring long-term care.
Here are the common head injuries you may sustain following a truck accident.
Concussion
A concussion happens when the head is subjected to a blow or is violently shaken during impact. Depending on the severity of the impact, a concussion can result in the loss of consciousness. Other symptoms of concussions include dizziness, nausea, headaches, insomnia and difficulty concentrating. Left untreated, a concussion can result in permanent damage to the brain.
Skull fractures
A skull fracture happens when the cranial bone is broken during impact. This can result in damage to the brain. Symptoms of skull fracture may include swelling, bruising, nausea and headache. Depending on the severity, the accident victim may require surgery to repair the damage.
Contusion
Contusion happens when the brain is bruised following an impact. Just like a skull fracture, a contusion may require surgery to repair the resulting damage. A coup-contrecoup occurs when a contusion happens on both sides of the brain. Symptoms of a contusion may include a blood clot in the brain, speech difficulty and memory loss.
A truck accident can result in a wide range of injuries to the brain. If you sustain a brain injury following a truck accident that is not your fault, it is important that you pursue the at-fault party for compensation for your damages.