Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries After a Car Accident in New York City: Car Accident Lawyer in Staten Island Explains

Victims of a car accident in New York could suffer many different types of serious personal injuries.  One of the most serious types of personal injuries is a traumatic brain injury, or TBI.  This type of brain injury impairs the way the brain functions, causing disruptions in a person’s personal and professional life, therefore making it difficult to enjoy normal and customary daily activities.  As a result, TBIs not only affect a person but oftentimes the entire family may be impacted by a TBI after a car accident in New York.  If you or a loved one suffered any type of head injury, brain injury, or TBI after a motor vehicle crash, call our experienced car accident lawyer in Staten Island, NY for help.

Here at the O’Connor Law Firm, our personal injury lawyer has over 20 years of experience representing victims and their families in accidents throughout NYC—particularly in Staten Island and Brooklyn.  We are dedicated to fighting back against negligent defendants and insurance carriers who protect dangerous drivers and refuse to pay their fair share.  We offer FREE consultations to review your claim and, if we accept your case, we will conduct a full investigation into your damages and liability against all those who may be responsible.  Our bodily injury firm offers a no win, no fee guarantee, meaning there is no risk to working with our car accident lawyer in Staten Island.  To learn more, contact us today.

What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the most severe types of personal injuries that a person could sustain.  A TBI is defined as “a sudden injury that causes damage to the brain[] [which] may happen when there is a blow, bump, or jolt to the head.”  According to CDC statistics, there are over 223,000 TBI-related hospitalizations and almost 61,000 TBI-related deaths each year in the United States.  The CDC also reports that motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of TBIs.

Although most people may believe that a TBI can only be caused by a high-speed collision causing an impact to the head, unfortunately, some TBIs can be caused by low-speed collisions and without any impact to the head.  The tricky thing with TBIs is that, unlike a broken bone or torn muscle, TBIs do not always show up in imaging studies.  This can make them hard to diagnose and treat, as well as more difficult to prove in court.

Common Types of TBIs After a Car Accident in New York

There are many different types of TBIs that could be caused in a motor vehicle accident.  The type of TBI and the severity is often dictated by the impact and location of the damage on the brain.  Some of the most common types of TBIs that our car accident lawyer in Staten Island can handle include the following:

• Concussions – one of the most common types of TBIs, but also potentially one of the most dangerous, a concussion is caused by a shock, jolt, or impact to the head that causes physical or chemical changes in brain tissue. Most concussions are caused by a direct impact to the head, but sometimes can be caused by violent whiplash.  While every concussion is serious, when a person has sustained multiple concussions over his or her lifetime, the damage can be catastrophic, debilitating, and sometimes fatal.
• Diffuse axonal injuries – this type of TBI is caused when brain tissue is torn, ripped, or sheered in an accident.Oftentimes the damage in a diffuse axonal injury is to neuro connections and pathways, disrupting connections in the brain.  This type of TBI is often irreversible, resulting in extreme and lifelong disability.
• Coup-contrecoup TBIs – when the head is caused to whip back-and-forth in a car accident, the brain inside of the skull is also sliding back-and-forth. If the impact is violent enough, the brain can sustain damage every time it hits the inside of the skull.  When those injuries are at opposite ends of the brain due to a whiplash injury, that type of injury is called a coup-contrecoup TBI.  This type of injury can be fatal due to brain bleeds and excessive swelling that increases intracranial swelling from the impact.

Were You Diagnosed with a TBI After a Car Accident in New York?  We Can Help

Anytime you or a loved one have been diagnosed with a TBI after a car accident in New York, you need to seek skilled and experienced legal representation.  You cannot just hire any type of personal injury lawyer because this is not a basic type of injury case.  TBI cases are serious and defense lawyers and insurance adjusters will often vehemently fight back because the stakes are high.

This is why you should call an experienced car accident lawyer in Staten Island like ours at the O’Connor Law Firm.  We offer FREE consultation and only get paid after you get paid in a settlement, verdict, award, or other recovery.  Learn more about our services and how we may help you by calling (718) 948-3500 or using our “Contact Us” box available here.