Brain Bleed From a Car Crash – What You Need to Know

A brain bleed is a very common head injury you can suffer in a car crash. Left undiagnosed and untreated, this very serious head injury may cause permanent damage. Worse still, it can be fatal.

After any collision, getting examined by a medical professional is a critical step, even if you do not see a visible wound. Taking time to do this may be inconvenient but for life-threatening injuries, like a brain bleed, it matters. Every minute counts with a serious head injury.

What is a Brain Bleed and How Does it Happen in a Car Crash?

A brain bleed happens inside the skull. Specifically, this type of injury may start either inside or outside the brain tissue. There are three membrane layers between the skull bone and the actual brain tissue. These layers of membrane are called meninges, and they help protect the brain.

A brain bleed can happen anywhere between these three layers of membranes. Named by layer, the meninges are called the dura mater, arachnoid, and pia mater.

Bleeding inside the skull but outside the brain tissue may lead to:

• Epidural bleed –occurs between the skull bone and dura mater (outermost membrane layer)
• Subdural bleed – when a brain bleed occurs between the dura mater and arachnoid membranes
• Subarachnoid bleed – a bleed that initiates between the arachnoid and pia mater membranes

Brain bleeds may also happen inside the skull and inside the brain tissue. This can lead to an intracerebral hemorrhage or intraventricular hemorrhage.

An intracerebral hemorrhage happens within the lobes, pons and cerebellum. In short, anywhere within the brain tissue.

An intraventricular hemorrhage, however, is, as the name implies, a brain bleed that happens in the ventricles of the brain.

What Should I Do if I Suffered a Brain Bleed in a Car Crash?

• Seek immediate medical care – Every second counts with a brain bleed.
• Notify your insurer – File a no-fault claim to gain access to your personal injury protection (PIP) benefits.
• Do not sign or agree to anything – Wait to record statements, sign documents or agree to any offers until after you speak with a knowledgeable lawyer.
• Contact a lawyer – Contacting an attorney early on can help you get guidance on maximizing your injury claim and avoid damaging mistakes.

How a Brain Bleed Happens in a Car Crash

A car crash causes your head to whip back and forth violently during the impact. When this happens, your brain can slam up against the inside of your skull. This impact may cause the blood vessels in your brain to rupture and blood to pool.

Are All Brain Bleeds Fatal?

Like most injuries, it depends on several factors. While any brain bleed could become life-threatening, there are other factors that may increase that risk:

• The size of the brain bleed
• How much time between when the bleed occurs and when you get medical care
• Where inside the skull the brain bleed happens
• Your age and overall state of health

Regardless of the location, a brain bleed causes brain damage. When brain cells die, they are not able to regenerate. If you do not get immediate treatment, it can lead to:

• Loss of consciousness
• Difficulty breathing
• Coma
• Permanent brain damage
• Death

How Do You Know if You have a Brain Bleed?

The only way to know for sure is by seeking emergency medical care at a nearby hospital after a car crash.

There are some symptoms that can also warn of a potential brain bleed, including if you experience:

• The sudden onset of tingling, numbness, weakness or paralysis of your face, arm or leg
• A sudden and severe “thunderclap” headache
• Dizziness or confusion
• Nausea that leads to vomiting
• Seizures
• Trouble swallowing
• Loss of vision or any sudden changes to your vision
• Abnormal speech, such as slurring or being unable to form words
• Being unable to read, write or understand when someone is talking
• Change in consciousness or level of alertness, lethargy or entering into a coma
• Trouble breathing accompanied by an abnormal heart rate (may indicate a brain bleed in your brain stem)

Diagnosing a Brain Bleed

You will need diagnostic testing, which could mean getting a CT scan, MRI or magnetic resonance angiogram (MRA). These tests can help your doctor to determine if you have a brain bleed or something else. He or she can also see where your brain bleed is located and how severe it is.

Other testing could include a chest X-ray, spinal tap and urinalysis., along with a complete vascular and blood count workup.

Treating a Brain Bleed

For severe brain bleeds, you may need surgery to drain the blood and remove the pressure on the brain. There are different types of surgery that can help. Methods include:

• Burr hole procedure – This procedure involves drilling a hole in the skull to allow draining and relieve pressure.
• Craniectomy incision – The doctor does a partial/temporary removal of the skull to allow room for the brain to expand.
• Craniotomy – Opening the victim’s skull cavity

The method used varies, depending on the size and location of the bleed.

Injured in a Car Crash? Call Jay Trucks for Legal Help You Can Trust

We put our clients first at Jay Trucks, and we have a strong history of proven results. Our firm has decades of experience, and we have recovered over $500 million in compensation for our clients.

Do not put your health or your claim at risk. Seek medical help right after a crash, and then contact our experienced vehicle crash lawyers in Grand Rapids.

Our law firm will work hard to get you the maximum possible compensation for your damages. There are no upfront costs to pay and no fees while we work on your case. You only pay us if we recover compensation for you.

Trusted Legal Help on Your Side. (989) 244-0440

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