Is My Car Accident Head Injury Mild or Severe?

July 10, 2024 | Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers | Car Accident

Car accidents happen every day, resulting in injuries and, in some cases, death. According to the Federal Highway Administration, Florida sees over 3,000 fatalities and close to 20,000 serious injuries annually, on average, related to car accidents.

Head and brain injuries from car accidents are among the most common types of harm suffered by drivers and passengers. In the wake of an accident, you might not think you’re injured too badly, especially if you’ve just experienced a minor rear-end collision.

However, head injuries can worsen over time. While a primary injury might have immediate symptoms, secondary injuries can develop over the hours and days following an accident as your body reacts to the trauma.

It’s always best to get a medical opinion when you’ve suffered a head injury rather than trying to self-diagnose. Still, you should have some knowledge of different types of injuries so you can fully understand the seriousness of your condition.

Mild Head Injuries

Car accidents may result in a range of common injuries to the head and body. When it comes to different types of brain injuries from car accidents, you could suffer a penetrating injury, where the skull is pierced, or a non-penetrating injury, like a violent jolt or a blow to the head that causes your brain to strike the inside of your skull.

Collectively, these are known as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), but some are more severe than others. While mild head injuries can feel awful, the defining characteristics are that the effects are temporary and typically short-lived (lasting only a few hours, days, or weeks). Symptoms could include:

Bad taste in the mouth
Blurred vision
Confusion/disorientation
Difficulty concentrating
Dizziness
Headache
Fatigue
Loss of consciousness (a few seconds to a few minutes)
Mood swings
Nausea/vomiting
Problems speaking
Ringing in the ears
Sensitivity to light/sound
Sleep disruption

Although these symptoms may indicate only a mild head injury, they are cause for concern, and you should seek immediate medical attention to ensure you receive an accurate diagnosis and necessary treatment.

Severe Head Injuries

Severe head injuries can be hard to distinguish from mild injuries if you’re only considering symptoms immediately following the trauma of an accident.

However, you could have unseen complications like bruising, tears, bleeding, and other damage to the brain that may result in worsening symptoms and even death if not diagnosed and treated quickly. Symptoms of a serious head injury could include:

Coma
Convulsions/seizures
Headache that persists or worsens
Lasting nausea/repeated vomiting
Loss of consciousness (several minutes or more)
Loss of coordination
Numb/weak extremities (fingers and toes)
Pupil dilation (one or both eyes)
Significant confusion
Slurred speech
Unable to wake from sleeping
Unusual behavior (agitated, combative, and more)

In some cases, these symptoms occur immediately after an accident, but they can also develop hours or days later, even if you only have mild symptoms to begin with.

What To Do After a Car Accident

Suffering a mild or severe head injury from car accident scenarios can be painful, debilitating, and even life-threatening. The first thing you should do is seek medical help, especially when you might not be thinking straight. Medical professionals can diagnose your condition and determine how serious the injury is.

If you’re injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may need to contact a qualified attorney for a free case review to ensure your costs are covered. With the right support network, you can focus on recovery and getting back to your life.

Contact a Tampa Car Accident Lawyer from Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today

For more information, please contact Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation with a car accident lawyer in Tampa today. We have five convenient locations in Florida, including Tampa, Clearwater, St. Petersburg, New Port Richey, and Lakeland.

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

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Tampa Office
601 W Swann Ave, Tampa, FL 33606
(813) 223-6200

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Clearwater Office
600 Bypass Dr Suite 224-D, Clearwater, FL 33764
(727) 493-4418

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – St. Petersburg Office
111 2nd Ave NE Suite 350, St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 314-5988

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – New Port Richey Office
5006 Trouble Creek Rd Unit #200, Port Richey, FL 34652
(727) 910-5060

Winters & Yonker Personal Injury Lawyers – Lakeland Office
1543 Lakeland Hills Blvd Suite 18, Lakeland, FL 33805
(863) 251-6196