Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries After a Car Accident

• Michael Burry
• Jun 19, 2025

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) refers to sudden damage that is caused by a blow to the head or a jolt. A car accident TBI injury will disrupt the normal functioning of your brain, causing amnesia, loss of consciousness, bleeding, torn tissues, and bruising. 

There may be two kinds of injury that may occur after a car crash: primary injury and secondary injury. If another party's negligence caused the brain injury, you should file a lawsuit. 

Types Of Brain Injuries After a Car Accident

Brain injuries are one of the worst outcomes after a car crash. Even a small bump can jolt the head enough to hurt the brain, and the damage can be mild or deadly. Learning about the main injury types makes it easier to spot warning signs early and get the right care. Quick hospital help is vital for better healing and healthier years ahead. Fundamentally, brain injuries may be categorized into two types:

• Closed brain injuries occur when there is no breakage in the skull. It means that no penetrating injury has happened to the brain. The brain shakes violently in this type, leading to forward and backward movement. 

• Penetrating brain injuries are also called open-head injuries. In this type, an object penetrates the skull, resulting in brain damage.

Closed Head injuries in Car Wrecks

Several types of closed-head TBIs can happen after a car collision. Some closed head injuries that you should be aware of are discussed as follows:

• Concussion: A concussion is usually a mild traumatic brain injury that can cause short spells of confusion, memory slips, difficulty speaking, blurry vision, or unsteady balance. It is among the most common TBIs and is often treated by giving the brain a good amount of rest. If the injury is ignored, serious long-term problems can follow.

• Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI): A diffuse axonal injury happens when violent shaking or shaking forces the brain to slide sharply back and forth inside the skull, tearing long nerve pathways called axons. Axons link one nerve cell to another all over the brain. 

• Contusion: A contusion is a bruise inside the skull, a small pool of blood that forms after a hard blow to the head. Such bruises often show up along with a concussion. When the bleeding does not stop on its own, doctors may need to drain the blood with surgery. 

• Traumatic Subarachnoid Hemorrhage (TSAH): A traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (TSAH) is bleeding that spills into the space around the brain. Normally, this gap holds clear cerebrospinal fluid that cushions the brain and absorbs shocks. 

• Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury: A coup-contrecoup injury happens when a hard blow sends the brain forward, then rebounds and strikes the opposite skull. Damage shows up at the impact point and again where the brain collides with the far side. 

• Hematoma: A hematoma shows up when a blood vessel breaks and the leaked blood clots while the body tries to seal the leak. Hematomas come in all sizes; a big one can squeeze brain tissue and become serious fast. 

Symptoms Of A Traumatic Brain Injury

The range of TBI symptoms can vary from mild to moderate and severe, depending on the impact and force of the crash. These TBI symptoms may appear immediately after the collision or may take months or years to manifest.

Mild brain trauma symptoms are

• Light-headedness
• Headache
• Memory loss
• Blurred vision
• Fatigue
• Mood or behavioral changes
• Difficulty concentrating

Similar symptoms can occur across different age groups, from infants to adults.

Some brain injuries may cause lifelong impairment. In such cases, the cognitive and psychological functioning of the brain is affected. Damage to brain cells and brain tissue can result in cognitive and psychological deficits. Other symptoms of brain injury are

• Convulsions
• Seizures
• Dilation of the pupils of the eyes
• Inability to awaken from sleep

Secondary injuries, such as increased intracranial pressure, can develop after the initial trauma and lead to worsening symptoms that require prompt medical attention. In severe cases, TBI can result in a minimally conscious state.

Accidents That Cause A Traumatic Brain Injury

Brain damage after a car accident may depend on several factors, such as the nature of the injury and the force with which it is caused. A violent blow or external force to a person's head during a motor vehicle crash, such as striking the steering wheel, can cause a closed head injury or penetrating TBI. Some common collisions that may lead to brain trauma are:

• Motor vehicle accidents: Accidents that involve cars, motorcycles, trucks, bicycles, and pedestrians may lead to traumatic brain injury to the passengers, walkers, and drivers. During a motor vehicle crash, damage occurs when the brain moves within the skull, potentially leading to torn tissues, injury to blood vessels and nerve fibers, and even skull fracture. 

• Sports injuries: Some sports that may cause brain trauma are soccer, baseball, boxing, hockey, and others. Sports injuries are mostly found in youth.

• Blasts: Blasts can result in TBI and generally affect military personnel and veterans. The brain functioning gets affected as the pressure wave of an explosion crosses the brain.

• Falls: Falls can affect every age group, such as young adults and older people, and can cause head injury. Both closed head injuries and penetrating TBI are possible outcomes of a fall.

• Assaults: Physical assaults, gunshots, and other violence can also cause traumatic brain injury.

Some other causes of TBI include penetrating wounds, severe blows, and collisions with objects.

Can I sue for TBI after a Car Accident?

Yes, the victim can sue for traumatic brain injury (TBI) after a car crash only if the accident was caused owing to the negligence or wrongdoing of someone else and the victim has suffered a serious injury, such as a TBI, which is required to pursue a lawsuit.

To file a personal injury lawsuit, you need to prove that the other driver had a duty to drive safely and breached that duty by acting negligently. If the liability is of another driver, they need to provide compensation for the damages. Moreover, it is the other driver’s negligence that caused the TBI. The victim also needs to prove the severity of the damages, which includes lost wages, medical expenses, medical bills, and pain and suffering, to pursue compensation.

To prove negligence, you must collect significant evidence, including witnesses’ statements, expert testimony, police reports, and medical records. In traumatic brain injury cases, a prompt diagnosis and seeking immediate medical attention after a suspected TBI are crucial to improve outcomes and strengthen your claim. Sometimes, it gets challenging to determine negligence in truck accident cases. The insurance company may try to compensate you for your damages without going to court.

Who Is At Risk For Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Risk factors for traumatic brain injury (TBI) include age, with older adults being particularly vulnerable. People who are most at risk of brain damage from car accidents are children (newborns to 4 years old), youth (15 to 24 years), and adults aged 60 and older. Older adults may experience more persistent symptoms and increased medical complexities after TBI compared to younger individuals. 

The leading causes of TBI in these groups include falls and car accidents. Human services play a crucial role in supporting recovery and rehabilitation for these at-risk populations, coordinating care and improving outcomes through a network of health and social services.

What Damages Can You Pursue in a TBI Lawsuit?

The injured party can pursue economic and non-economic damages from the liable party or parties. Depending on the severity of your injury case, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for the following:

• Present and future medical expenses
• Rehabilitation expenses
• Long-term treatment expenses
• Lost wages
• Diminished earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering

To seek compensation in a brain injury lawsuit, you must prove that:

• You are suffering from a brain injury
• You do not have a pre-existing injury
• Your injury was caused due to the negligent action of another entity or person

How can a lawyer help after a car accident? 

An experienced car accident lawyer will help you gather evidence to strengthen your accident claim and represent you in court. They will also negotiate with the insurance companies and understand the legal complexities.