What You Should Know About a Penetrating Brain Injury
Open head injuries are serious forms of brain injury trauma. They usually require immediate hospitalization and surgery. Common open head injuries include concussions, skull fractures, and scalp wounds. Depending on the type of head injury you have and its severity, both the treatments and the consequences vary greatly. Open (penetrating) head injuries literally break open your scalp and skull. These injuries expose the brain to bacteria, viruses and many other environmental elements that cause serious brain damage. Have you or a loved one experienced an open head injury? Did you lose someone you love in a penetrating brain accident? Are you dealing with horrendous medical bills? And rightly scared for your future?
Let Premier Law Group help!
Our attorneys have firsthand knowledge and experience with the devastating personal injuries caused by these open head injuries. We have worked alongside many victims and their families, to help them recover financial damages due to open head injuries.
That’s all we do! We negotiate for you, while you focus on regaining your life.
Call Premier Law Group today at 206.285.1743 for a FREE Consultation!
What Is An Open Head Injury?
By definition, an open head injury literally fractures the skull. Sometimes this is called a broken skull because the skull cracks due to a sudden blow. In other cases, an object punctures and penetrates the skull.
There are many health impacts and complications caused by open head injury accidents. Some happen immediately following the injury. These include seizures, loss of brain fluid, and ringing in the ear. Other more serious impacts include nerve injuries, organ failure, and even death.
How Do Open Head Injuries Happen?
Open head injuries are caused by blunt trauma to the head. The most common causes of open head injuries include:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Slipping and Falling
- Knife and Gunshot Wounds
- Military Attacks and Bomb Blasts
- Sports Related Accidents
For a free legal consultation with an open head injury lawyer serving Seattle, call (206) 285-1743
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How Common Are Open Head Injuries?
Open head injuries are one of the most common causes of disability and death in the United States. In fact, head injuries in general are rising dramatically in our country. In 2020, for example, 1.7 million people experienced a traumatic brain injury.
It is important that people recognize the seriousness of these injuries and take immediate action to help open head injury victims.
What Are The Symptoms?
Victims of open head injuries display many different symptoms. A lot depends on if the open head injury is a penetrating wound or fracture.
Following are the most common symptoms of an open head injury:
- Blood coming from the head
- Unconsciousness or non-responsiveness
- Inability to move extremities — one, two, three, or all four arms and legs
- Loss of motor functions
- Unequal pupil sizes
- Black outs and confusion
- Vomiting spells and nausea
- Inexplicable fatigue and inability to stay awake
- Severe, incurable headaches
- Persistent stiffness in the neck
- Abnormal behaviors and speech patterns
It’s important to note that accident eyewitnesses don’t always understand that the victim has suffered an open head injury. Especially if the head wound isn’t bleeding, or the victim is unconscious and not moving.
No matter what, it is essential that the injury victim get immediate medical care. The sooner the injury is discovered, the sooner the victim can get medical care. And the family can move forward on necessary decisions and choices as the victim recovers.
How Do Doctors Diagnose An Open Head Injury?
There is a clear process that doctors use with victims of open head injuries. First, they do a basic physical exam. Then they talk with the victim’s family and other eyewitnesses to learn more about the origin of the accident. This becomes extremely critical if the victim is unconscious and cannot speak to the doctor.
Next, the doctor will perform a CT scan, an MRI, and other x-rays, specifically to looking for neck, spinal cord and skull injuries. These tests will show if the victim has suffered a skull fracture.
Treatment For Open Head Injuries
Each open head injury is unique and because the cause of the accident varies and the condition of each accident victim is different. Therefore, the treatment plan depends on the injury cause, and the severity of the injury.
Open head injuries always require surgery to repair skull damage. A major part of the surgery is searching for evidence of brain damage. And the search for and removal of any debris that made its way into the skull cavity. Brain debris has serious implications for open head injury victims. For instance, debris can puncture the brain, introduce infection and cause inflammation.
The healing process for open head injury victims is long and arduous. It almost always requires extensive rehabilitation to get the body to relearn basic skills. Brain injuries cause neurons to misfire and new connections have to be made. With rehab, victims can relearn how to walk, comb their hair, brush their teeth, speak and write.
Complications Brought On By Open Head Injuries
Open head injury victims expose the brain to dangerous environmental elements. The open wound in the skull lets in bacteria, viruses, molds, and debris. These “infect” the brain and lead to serious health issues, either immediately or down the road.
Also, open head injuries do cause unconsciousness and coma. This can last hours, days, weeks, months, or even years. Sadly, some victims go into coma after an open head injury and never fully regain consciousness.
Why You Might Need An Attorney
Open head injuries are frightening and frustrating for victims and their families. When you or someone you love has sustained open head injuries, it is hard to know what to do, who to trust, and who to talk to. There are many compelling reasons to find an expert personal injury attorney to help.
For instance, if the open head injury victim was:
- Injured through the negligence of someone else
- By someone with no insurance
- Injured and the insurance claims people are denying your claims
- Injured at a business whose insurer wants you to sign off on a settlement that does not cover your damages, medical costs and loss of work.
Where To Get Help After An Open Head Injury
The Premier Law Group Difference!
As your “difference maker,” you always work with YOUR ATTORNEY — not just a paralegal. We are available 24/7 to answer your questions, and support you through the most difficult time of your lives. No family should go through this without an attorney by your side.
Our experienced Seattle personal injury attorneys know how to collect the evidence from your open head injury. For example, your attorney will:
- Collect Police Reports
- Interview Eyewitnesses
- Secure Video and Photos of the Accident
- And all other records pertinent to your open head injury
From this fact-finding, your attorney builds your case and files claims for compensation. Furthermore, we negotiate FOR YOU and your loved ones.
Don’t sign off on an insurance claim until you talk with us. Focus on healing, and let your lawyer collect evidence and handle the claim details.
Contact a Dedicated Seattle Open Head Injury Attorney!
Call Premier Law Group! Get your FREE Consultation Today!
You always work directly with an attorney and we are available to you 24/7.
Call 206.285.1743 Today!
Jason at premier law group is truly an outstanding individual. Our particular case was not something that their firm usually sees but they were more than willing to help us and give us all of the information they had available. I can't recommend them enough.