If you suffer a head injury in a car accident, it can be catastrophic and life-altering. Many traumatic brain injuries never fully heal, for instance, and they can lead to long-term issues. In some cases, the full extent of a head injury is not even apparent right after a crash.
For instance, you could suffer from an intracranial hematoma. This is the medical term used when blood collects within a person’s brain tissue, putting pressure on that tissue and possibly leading to cell death. The term is also used when that blood collects between the skull and the brain. This can also put pressure on the brain, which has more give than the skull, and the collection of blood can then cause further injuries even after the initial trauma has subsided.
Can this happen with a minor head injury?
One thing to be aware of is that the experts at the prestigious Mayo Clinic note that even a minor head injury can lead to an intracranial hematoma. You may think that you just lost consciousness for a second or two and you probably have a concussion. While serious, you expect to recover without treatment. However, if you actually have an intracranial hematoma because of that impact to your head, it could prove fatal. It grows more serious over time, especially if you put off treatment, as immediate treatment is the best possible solution. The pooling blood needs to be removed from the brain tissue or from the skull chamber in order to prevent further injury.
This is just one reason that you never want to assume that you’re uninjured. People often think that they got through a car accident without serious injuries and then discovered that they actually have very significant issues they need to deal with at a medical health center. In the case of an intracranial hematoma, if you go home just thinking that you have a concussion or a headache, the problem could get so bad that it turns fatal before you get treatment. Even if it is not fatal, it could cause lasting brain damage that changes your life.
Your options to seek compensation
If you do have serious injuries like this after a car accident, and the other driver is the one who was at fault for the crash, then you may be able to seek financial compensation. Be sure you know exactly what steps to take to do so.