Open Head Injury After Serious Indianapolis Traffic Accidents
If you have sustained an open head injury after one of Indianapolis’ traffic accidents, you may qualify for compensation through an Indiana personal injury claim. If someone else was responsible for the accident that caused your injuries, contact an injury lawyer in Indianapolis for a free case evaluation and to learn more about your options.
Overview of Open Head Injuries after an Accident
An open head injury, also called a penetrating head injury, is one of 2 types of head trauma that can result from a forceful blow to the head. Whether a head injury is open or closed depends on the condition of the skull after impact. A head injury is considered closed when the trauma does not cause any fractures in the skull casing that protects the brain. An open head injury, on the other hand, exists when such fractures are present.
Open head injuries can also lead to the following complications:
- Abrasions
- Broken nose
- Facial fractures
- Lacerations
- Skull fractures
- Wounds
- Traumatic brain injuries
Some head injuries will require a long hospital stay and continued care or medical services such as rehabilitative or physical therapy. When an open head injury causes serious damage, you may have to take extended time away from work while facing mounting piles of medical bills. If a head injury completely disables you, then you may be eligible to claim damages.
Treatment of an Open Head Injury after Indianapolis Traffic Accidents
The recommended treatment of an open head injury following a collision varies with respect to the particular facts of the trauma. Although open head injuries are less frequently the result of a car crash, they are no less serious.
Variables that influence the severity of a head wound include the physical location of the injury on the head, the force and angle of the trauma and the characteristics of the object that caused the trauma.
Doctors will use a range of different diagnostic measures to determine the extent of damage caused by a head injury, including:
- Physical and neurological examination
- Blood work
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- X-ray, MRI or CT imaging
- Glasgow Coma Scale
- Rancho Los Amigos Scale
Once a doctor has determined the extent of the harm done by your open head injury, he or she may recommend therapy (physical, occupational, psychological or speech), medication, rehabilitative therapy or even surgery if the damage is severe enough.
The estimated cost for treatment is:
- Mild head injuries: $850,000
- Moderate head injuries: $940,000
- Serious head injuries: $3 million or more
- Average cost for lifetime treatment: $1.2 million
If the negligent, reckless or dangerous actions of someone else on the road were responsible for the traffic collision that injured you, you should not have to bear the high cost of your care and recovery by yourself. The law mandates that you have the opportunity to file a claim against the party responsible and recoup the cost of your treatment, as well as other damages you may be entitled to.
All head injuries are serious, and many can have devastating effects. A dedicated injury lawyer in Indianapolis on your side can streamline the process of pursuing a claim for the funds you may be entitled to after being injured in one of Indianapolis’ traffic accidents.