Mark Roman | October 20, 2023 | Brain Injuries

Blunt Force Head Trauma – Cause and Effect

If you have experienced a head injury, knowing whether you have blunt force trauma can help strengthen your personal injury claim. Collisions and other forceful impacts can cause blunt force head trauma. Sustaining this kind of injury can impact your health, livelihood, and ability to engage in daily activities.

This blog post will delve into the specifics of blunt-force head trauma, including its causes, effects, and potential legal implications. 

What Is Blunt Force Head Trauma?

Blunt force head trauma is an injury that occurs when something causes a forceful impact to the head without breaking the skin.  

This type of trauma can happen in various ways, including:

All of these incidents can create the kind of forceful impact that causes blunt force trauma. While not all instances of blunt force injuries are fatal, they require urgent medical attention. If you have experienced any of these kinds of injuries, it is important to go to an urgent care or emergency room to consult a doctor as soon as possible.

The Effects of Blunt Force Head Trauma

The effects of blunt force head trauma can vary, depending on the severity of the injury and the patient’s existing illnesses or injuries. Injuries from blunt force head trauma include contusions, abrasions, hemorrhages, and fractures. The differences between the types of injury sustained often point to the causes of these injuries.

Contusions

Contusions are bruised areas on the brain’s surface, often caused by blunt force. In particular, a contusion occurs when the impact causes capillaries underneath the skin surface to burst while the skin’s surface remains intact. Severe contusions can lead to cognitive and motor function impairment and may require surgical intervention.

Abrasions

In contrast to contusions, abrasion involves a scraping off of the surface skin of the brain. Injuries involving abrasion usually require a great deal of force.

Hemorrhages

Severe blunt force trauma can cause bleeding inside the brain, which is known as a hemorrhage. Intracranial bleeding can be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.

Lacerations

While blunt force impact is generally defined by impacts that do not rupture or pierce the skin, blunt force injuries may cause lacerations. These are tears, cuts, or gashes in the skin. Unlike abrasions, no skin is missing.

Skull Fractures

Severe head trauma may lead to fractures in the skull. These injuries can cause damage to the brain, nerves, and blood vessels.

Individuals might also experience concussions as a result of these kinds of injuries. Concussions are mild traumatic brain injuries resulting from blunt force trauma. Symptoms may include dizziness, confusion, nausea, and memory problems. Recovery typically involves rest and medical evaluation.

When blunt force head trauma occurs as a result of someone else’s negligence or intentional actions, it is important to consider the different types of claims one can bring. 

Here are some important legal considerations:

  • Negligence: If the head trauma is a result of another person’s negligence, such as in a car accident or slip and fall, a personal injury claim may be pursued to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
  • Assault: In situations involving physical assault that leads to head trauma, a victim may pursue a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator for damages, including medical bills and emotional distress.

Head trauma may also result from contact sports. Since the individual usually has consented to contact or impact, sports injuries are not often clear-cut cases of assault. Legal actions are rare but not impossible. This often depends on the circumstances: whether rules were followed, the sport was played using ordinary force, and safety protocols were violated.

Understanding the cause and effect of blunt force head trauma is essential for your well-being and protecting your legal rights. If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury due to someone else’s actions or negligence, it’s advisable to consult an experienced personal injury attorney. 

Contact the Clearwater Brain Injury Law Firm of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact the legal team of Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation with a brain injury lawyer in Tampa. We have four convenient locations in Florida: Clearwater, New Port Richey, and Tampa.

We serve throughout Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, Pasco County, and its surrounding areas:

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
1811 N. Belcher Road, Suite I-1
Clearwater, FL 33765
(727) 787-2500

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Congress Ave Office
2360 Congress Avenue
Clearwater, FL 33763
(727) 591-5610

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
6601 Memorial Hwy Suite 202
Tampa, FL 33615
(813) 686-7588

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
2515 Seven Springs Blvd.
New Port Richey, FL, 34655
(727) 815-8442