Car accidents as a major cause of traumatic brain injuries

North Carolina residents may have heard about traumatic brain injuries, but they may not realize just how common they are or how devastating they can be. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has noted that there are roughly 1.7 million traumatic brain injuries every year in the United States. They can come about as a result of many different types of accidents, and the most common reason that people get traumatic brain injuries is because of slips and falls. The second most common reason that people get traumatic brain injuries is because of car accidents.

How do people get traumatic brain injuries from car accidents?

A traumatic brain injury happens where brain function becomes interrupted due to a bump, blow, or penetrating injury to the head or body. The reason that traumatic brain injuries are so common in car accidents is because of the physical mechanics of such a crash.

When you are in a car accident, your body or your head is subject to sudden, violent movement. This movement can cause your head to smash into your headrest, your steering wheel, or the window. It can also simply whip your head backwards and forwards, causing whiplash. This sudden, violent movement causes your brain to move around inside of your head, slamming it from one side of your head to the other. Traumatic brain injuries can come about as a result of side-impact crashes, front-end collisions, or rear collisions. They can even come about as a result of a sudden stop.

The types of traumatic brain injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents include concussions or mild TBIs, post-concussion syndrome or moderate TBIs, and severe TBIs. The mild TBIs are usually temporary, and they often resolve themselves after minimal medical care and rest. Moderate TBIs have more serious effects on the victim, with symptoms lasting up to a year or more. Severe traumatic brain injuries can result in grave side effects and, in some cases, death.