Head injuries can be catastrophic because of the potential for damage to your brain. There are many mechanisms by which you may suffer a head injury, such as penetration of a foreign object or violent back-and-forth motion, as well as a traumatic blow.
Different mechanisms can result in different types of head injuries. Johns Hopkins Medicine describes some of the most common, which can range from relatively mild to severe.
Diffuse axonal injuries (DAI)
An axon is a nerve fiber involved in relaying messages from the brain to the rest of the body. Violent shaking can cause damage to the axons throughout the brain, which results in DAI. These injuries are sometimes difficult to diagnose diffuse axonal injuries because the damage often occurs at a microscopic level and does not show up on imaging such as MRI.
Intracranial hematoma
Damage to blood vessels can cause bleeding inside the skull. When the blood collects, it can form a mass called a hematoma. This can form within the brain itself or between the brain and the inside of the skull. In either case, it can damage the brain and usually needs surgical removal.
Skull fracture
A bone fracture always requires medical attention and often intervention. However, skull fractures can be particularly serious because of the potential for brain damage from a traumatic impact. The most serious type of fracture occurs at the base of the skull near the back of the neck. A depressed fracture is another serious type in which the impact causes the skull to sink in. This can cause damage to the brain underneath and may require surgery to correct.
Don’t suffer for someone else’s negligence
Accidents such as falls or car crashes caused by someone else’s negligence are common causes of head injuries like these. Such head injuries can be life-changing and impact everything from a person’s ability to work, quality of living and being able to play with their children. If you or a loved one are injured in an accident, you may be eligible for compensation.