Understanding Whiplash Injuries from a Queens Car Accident: What is a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is a serious type of personal injury that could be caused by a Queens car accident. The CDC defines a TBI “as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury.” There are many possible types of TBIs, but one of the most severe and potentially fatal kinds is a coup-contrecoup brain injury. This is a devastating type of brain injury that can be caused even if a victim’s head does not hit anything inside of the motor vehicle. Victims who suffer this type of TBI need to receive immediate medical attention and could have long-term disability or permanent damages.
Here at COHEN & COHEN PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS, P.C. , our experienced Queens car accident lawyers handle catastrophic traumatic brain injury cases such as coup-contrecoup brain injuries. These are very complicated cases and a victim cannot just hire any lawyer, but should hire our experienced lawyers at our law firm who have dedicated their career to protecting the rights of victims who have been seriously injured by the negligence of another party. If you or a loved one have suffered a coup-contrecoup brain injury, or any other TBI, schedule a FREE consultation to learn how we can help you today.
Anatomy of the Brain
The brain and the spinal cord are part of the central nervous system. The brain is a very powerful but rather delicate organ. However, it sits suspended in cerebrospinal fluid inside of the skull. The cerebrospinal fluid helps to hydrate the brain and provide impact cushioning. The part of the skull where the brain is located is also surrounded by very strong boney plates. These boney plates are some of the strongest bones in the human body and they are angled in such a way to help deflect blows.
The spinal cord extends from the base of the skull (foramen magnum). The spinal cord extends through the center of the spinal column and stops in the lower back (lumbar region). There is cerebrospinal fluid going up and down the spine too.
The brain and the spine are in a closed system, which means that the fluid in the skull and spinal are behind a blood-brain barrier. This barrier is difficult to penetrate and diffuse fluids, which is meant to protect the brain and spinal cord from infection from bacteria or viruses. This makes increasing or decreasing the amount of fluid in the closed system slower and more difficult.
Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injuries
Coup-contrecoup brain injuries are very serious types of TBIs. This injury occurs when there is a violent force on one head of the head. The violent force thrusts the head in the other direction. The brain slides in the skull to that new direction and strikes the inside of the skull causing injury. The head than whips backward and the brain slides backward to the point of origin of the impact. The brain can slam into that side of the skull and also sustain serious injury. Thus, the brain sustains an injury at two opposite ends.
Despite being a very serious brain injury, it does not take a lot of force to cause this serious type of injury. In fact, a coup-contrecoup brain injury can occur when there is no impact to the brain or head, meaning a violent whiplash motion could cause a coup-contrecoup injury.
This type of TBIs can be deadly because of excessive swelling or brain bleeds. Since the brain is in a closed system, if there is swelling and bleeding in the brain there is nowhere for that fluid to go. The body slowly can try to regulate that fluid, but if the rate of swelling and the rate of bleeding is higher than the rate of draining, the brain could suffer catastrophic injury and a person could be wrongfully killed. Since a coup-contrecoup brain injury is on both sides of the brain, the rate of swelling can be prolific and catastrophic.
Were You Diagnosed with a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury? We Can Help
Any type of TBI is a very serious type of personal injury. But a coup-contrecoup brain injury case is one of the most severe types due to swelling and internal brain bleeds. Victims of Queens car accidents who have suffered any type of brain injury or coup-contrecoup injury should call the experienced personal injury lawyers at COHEN & COHEN PERSONAL INJURY LAWYERS, P.C. , to learn how we can help protect your rights to compensation. Call 800-247-8164 to schedule a FREE case evaluation or use our convenient and easy-to-use contact us box available here to get started with our law firm. There is no upfront financial risk to calling to schedule an evaluation or to having us begin to represent you, as we only get paid once you get paid.