Florida Car Accident Lawyer BlogAfter a car accident, it’s important to seek medical attention. Even if you may have been fortunate enough to walk away from a traffic collision with no injuries, the only way to know for sure is by getting a medical evaluation. A doctor can determine whether you have sustained injuries, can document your injuries, and can start treatment so you have the best possible chance of healing.
Articles Posted in Brain Injuries
Managing a Traumatic Head Injury After a Car Accident
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a car accident in Florida usually occurs because your head crashes against a solid surface or is violently shaken. This can cause the brain to crash against the inside of your skull, causing bruising, bleeding, swelling, and tissue damage.
It is always important to get any TBI checked out. Even if your symptoms are mild, you may have a serious injury that requires immediate medical intervention.
Child Injuries in Hollywood Car Crashes
When driving in a car with children, it’s important children ride in the back and are securely placed in an age-appropriate child safety system, whether that’s an infant car seat, booster, or other device. These devices can help reduce the risk of serious injuries.
No matter what kind of precautions you take, however, there is no doubt car accidents in Hollywood pose a huge risk to children. In fact, they are among the leading causes of accidental injury to children and minors in Hollywood and Florida.
Dealing with a Head Injury After Your Car Accident
Head trauma after a car accident in Homestead or your community can be devastating. A head injury can affect your ability to take care of yourself, go to work and just about every other element in your life. Serious head trauma can cause significant symptoms, such as memory loss, cognitive difficulties, dizziness, loss of consciousness and other serious disorders which can impact your day-to-day life.
Two Types of Head Injuries
If you have been in a car crash in Homestead or any community, it is important to rule out the possibility of a head injury immediately. Head injuries in a car accident are usually caused by two things: a penetrative injury or an internal injury. A penetrative injury is usually fairly easy to see. It occurs when an item, such as a piece of metal, pierces the skull.
Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents in Hollywood and South Florida can lead to a number of injuries, including:
1) Head injuries
Head injuries are not only a common injury in car crashes, but they can also be one of the most deadly. Head injuries in road accidents can happen in several ways. The shaking and sharp movements of the vehicle during the crash can cause the brain to move violently inside the skull, leading to injuries, bruising, and bleeding of brain tissue. In some cases, passengers are thrown sharply against windows or the dashboard, and the bump can cause the brain to smash against the inside of the skull, causing severe injury. Sharp objects – such as metal rods or pieces of the vehicle – can also be thrown with enough force that they can penetrate the skull and cause direct trauma to the brain.
Potentially Fatal Mistakes After a Traffic Crash
If you have been in a car accident, you need to get a full medical evaluation. Unfortunately, some people choose not to seek the help of a doctor or an emergency room department following a car accident in Hollywood or South Florida because they mistakenly believe that they have not been injured.
This can be a life-threatening mistake.
Helmets and Motorcycle Accidents in Hollywood and Florida
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of fatal motorcycle crashes doubled between 1999 and 2008. In 2008, the agency reported that fatal truck and car accidents had declined while the number of fatal motorcycle accidents continued to rise. Between 2001 and 2008, over 1.2 million motorcyclists were treated in emergency rooms for injuries.
Motorcycle accidents in Hollywood and other cities are a leading cause of many injuries, including spinal cord injuries, fractures, internal injuries, crushing injuries, whiplash, and soft tissue injuries. Brain injuries in Hollywood and Florida are also often caused by traffic accidents, including motorcycle accidents. Head injuries are often a leading cause of fatalities when it comes to motorcycle crashes.
Florida law does not require adult motorcycle riders with adequate insurance coverage to wear helmets. However, safety experts agree that wearing helmets is one of the best ways to prevent head injuries and serious life-threatening injury in the event of a traffic collision in Hollywood or your community.
According to the CDC, helmets have a significant impact on motorcycle accident injury. Between 2008 and 2010, 42 percent of riders involved in the more than 14,000 fatal motorcycle crashes that occurred in that time period were not wearing helmets. States that have helmet requirements, only about 12 percent of fatal motorcycle collisions involve riders riding without helmets. In states with no helmet laws, close to 80 percent of riders involved in motorcycle fatalities weren’t wearing helmets at the time of their crash.
Wearing a helmet is the first step, but experts agree that more can be done. You can help by:
•Choosing to wear a helmet each time you ride and by carrying a spare for passengers.
•Encouraging friends and family to wear helmets if they ride.
•Taking a motorcycle safety course to improve your ability to avoid motorcycle accidents in the first place.
•Choosing the right motorcycle helmet. Choose a helmet that is functional and appealing enough that you will wear it each time you ride. Avoid wearing used helmets, as these may be already damaged and may provide scant protection in an accident.
•Always wearing your motorcycle helmet correctly. This means choosing a properly-fitted helmet and wearing one for each ride, using the straps to keep it securely on your head. A helmet that slips or falls off in a crash will not protect you.
Head-on Collisions in Homestead and Florida – Why Are They So Deadly?
Head-on car crashes in Homestead and other cities have a high rate of injury and fatalities. There are a number of reasons for this:
1) The front of the car is where passengers most often are. Passengers in the front of the vehicle are likely to sustain serious or fatal injuries if the force of impact is high enough. If a truck crashes into the front of a passenger car, for example, it can push right through the crumple zone provided by the hood of the car and can crush passengers sitting in the front.
2) The force of impact in these accidents tends to be considerable. In broadside collisions in Homestead and other cities, the impact can be minimized somewhat if two vehicles glance off each other. In a head-on crash, though, two cars tend to hit each other bumper to bumper, meaning that the force of impact is intense enough to cause serious injury. The impact can be even greater if one of the vehicles is a big rig or commercial truck or if speeding is a factor in the collision.
3) These types of accidents tend to happen in higher-risk areas. Head-on car and motorcycle accidents in Homestead and other communities tend to occur on highways when passing, where speed is often a factor. They also tend to happen when a driver falls asleep or otherwise loses control of their vehicle, which means the driver has little or no chance to lessen the impact of the crash or slow down before the collision. All these issues can mean that the force of impact can be greater and the collision may be riskier for passengers.
4) There are many dangers in the front of a car. The front of a vehicle usually has many safety devices, such as side impact airbags, front impact airbags, and seat belts. All of these can protect passengers in a crash, but the front seat also has a number of dangers. The dashboard, for example, is a very hard and unforgiving surface. If airbags fail to work correctly in a car or truck accident in Homestead or your community, serious or even fatal head injuries are a very real risk. In addition, the windshield can break upon impact, sending glass or even other objects inside the vehicle and towards passengers. In both regards, the front seats tend to shield any passengers in the back of the car, which is one reason why the backseat is considered the safest place for child passengers.
Where Can Brain Injury Patients in Hollywood Turn After a Car Collision?
For brain injury patients in Hollywood, fear and anxiety are common after an initial diagnosis. Whether you have sustained a traumatic brain injury in a workplace accident in Hollywood, through a sports injury, in a Hollywood traffic accident, or through some other way, it can be a devastating injury. You may need specialist care and treatment and you may find yourself struggling with challenging symptoms such as motor loss control issues, memory problems trouble with concentration, personality changes, and more.
It is normal to feel afraid and alone, but it is also important to remember that there are many places you can turn to for help, including:
1) The Brain Injury Association of Florida (BIAF) (http://www.biaf.org/). BIAF is a statewide nonprofit organization for traumatic brain injury patients and their caregivers. BIAF offers advocacy, support, education, and other help. They even have a toll-free number, 800-992-3442, if you need to speak to someone right away.
2) Support Groups. Support groups help you meet others who have suffered a serious brain injury in your area as well as professionals who can help you. It is often very useful to speak to someone who has gone through a similar experience and who has advice to offer about practical matters. You can find a support group for brain injury patients in Florida at this website: http://www.byyourside.org/support/support-groups/. You can also set up your own support group by contacting BIAF.
3) The Florida Health Brain and Spinal Cord Injury Program (http://www.floridahealth.gov/diseases-and-conditions/brain-and-spinal-cord-injuries/index.html). This government program can help you and your family find resources as well as case management services.
4) Your doctor. Your primary care physician can refer you to specialists and can provide you with follow-up care. They can also help you manage your care, especially if you need to work with multiple health professionals.
5) Your personal injury attorney. A lawyer can often help you find local resources that can help you. They can also help you pursue any avenues or options for compensation – which is important, since brain injury treatment and care can be very expensive and may not be covered by your insurance in all cases.
6) Your employer. If your brain injury took place at work, workers compensation and your employer may have options for you. However, before you accept a settlement or workers compensation benefits, be sure to speak with a personal injury attorney in Hollywood or your city; once you accept benefits or insurance money, you may not have the right to pursue compensation later on if your injuries end up costing more than you thought.
PTSD and Car Collisions in Homestead and Other Cities
Truck and car accidents in Homestead and other cities can easily lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In fact, traffic collisions are one of the leading causes of PTSD across the country. Some studies suggest that as many as 9% of traffic accident survivors suffer from PTSD and a larger number have some PTSD symptoms or reactions.
If you have been in a car or truck collision in Homestead or any community, it is important to not only consider your physical health but also your emotional health. PTSD is a serious disorder that can affect your ability to recover fully. It can lead to depression, problems in relationships, and can even increase your risk of substance abuse. In some cases, it can make it difficult to return to work or to everyday activities after your traffic accident.
After a serious traffic crash in Homestead or your community, you will want to keep a lookout for these symptoms:
•Anxiety, especially anxiety about driving
•A fear of driving that leads you to avoid certain activities (such as driving during certain times of the day)
•Sleep disruptions
•Personality changes
•Jumpiness
•Moodiness or irritability
•Flashbacks or nightmares of the accident
•Distress
•Changes in eating habits
•Watchfulness when driving
•Increased heart rate and fear, especially when you see or hear something that reminds you of the accident
•Difficulty concentrating
Some of these symptoms are perfectly normal immediately after a collision, but if you notice that they don’t go away or they get worse, you may wish to speak to someone. You will also want to speak with someone if your reactions after the accident prevent you from living your life normally.
In many cases, your risk for PTSD is higher if you have suffered from trauma in the past or if you have sustained a severe injury in the accident. You may be able to get help by seeking out a therapist or by speaking with your doctor and asking for a recommendation to a therapist. There are many treatment options available for PTSD that can help you cope with the aftermath of an accident, and the sooner you get treatment the better your chances of recovery.
Unfortunately, the costs of therapy and other treatment options can be considerable. You may want to speak with a personal injury attorney in Homestead or your community immediately after your accident. If you qualify for compensation for your injuries under Florida law, an attorney can help you seek out the compensation you need so that you can afford quality medical care. In many cases, attorneys are also familiar with local resources and can help you find treatment options that you can explore.
Many people think that they should be able to “snap out of it” or “get better” after a traffic collision, but things simply do not always work that way. In some cases, it can be difficult to shake off the trauma of a serious accident and seeking help is important in these situations. While PTSD may not leave scars or physical trauma the way that a fracture or spinal cord injury can, it is still very debilitating and dangerous. Getting treatment can ensure that you start to heal from the accident and return to a full and happy life.