In a car accident, brain injuries are a common and very serious injury sustained by drivers and passengers. Brain injuries usually occur in a car accident when the head comes into direct and sudden contact with a hard object. This can happen if someone is thrown from the car or if someone is whipped around inside a car so that the head crashes against the interior of the vehicle. In a car accident, drivers and passengers can be thrown around with some force because of the force of a crash. This can result in serious head injuries.

In some cases, the head does not even have to crash into anything for a brain injury to occur. The brain is a soft, jelly-like mass inside the skull. If a head is whipped around very violently, the brain can bump against the skull with considerable force. In some cases, this causes injury and bruising to the brain, which can mean a brain injury.

Brain injuries can be fatal. They can also leave long-term or even permanent injuries. Some people who have sustained a brain injury find that their senses are severely affected. Some people have vision problems, for example, or problems with hearing or smelling things. In some cases, brain injury victims have trouble walking because their balance is off. Some people experience memory loss or emotional upheaval.

Treatment for brain injuries usually includes lots of tests. In some cases, surgery might be needed to remove some of the pressure inside the skull. In the long term, brain injury victims may need rehabilitative care or physical therapy to cope with walking or speech problems. If a victim has severe memory problems after a brain injury, he or she will generally need lots of help in completing simple tasks and in performing every day activities. Some patients need to have flash cards, for example, to remind them of simple things, such as how to make breakfast.

A brain injury can be devastating, especially if serious symptoms such as vision problems or memory loss are long-term or permanent. Some victims find that they cannot return to their jobs while other require very long hospital stays. Some people with brain injuries experience severe depression or emotional upset as they try to adjust to their injury.

After a car accident, it is important to visit a hospital or doctor right away, even if you’re not sure you have a brain injury. Even if you have few or no symptoms, you could have sustained a brain injury that needs immediate treatment. Seek help right away, just to rule out this potentially deadly injury.