Skull Fracture Injuries

A surprising number of accidents involve head injuries, including skull fractures. Unfortunately, head injuries also have some of the most devastating consequences for victims, many of whom are forced to struggle with the repercussions of their injuries for the rest of their lives. While it is possible to recover compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering after sustaining a skull fracture, doing so can be difficult, so if you or a loved one recently suffered a fractured skull or another head injury in an accident, you should speak with an experienced Fort Lauderdale personal injury lawyer who can walk you through your legal options.

Types of Skull Fractures

A skull fracture occurs when someone’s head suffers such an intense impact that the bones in the skull actually break. Skull fractures can either breach the skin of the head (open injury) or leave it intact (closed injury). Both types of injuries come with risks. Open injuries, for instance, are much more likely to become infected, as bacteria can more easily enter the wound. Infections that spread to the brain can cause severe and permanent brain damage. Closed injuries, however, can also have serious consequences, including internal bleeding.

One of the most common and serious types of skull fracture injuries occurs when pieces of a person’s skull actually cave inward and damage the brain. These are referred to as depressed skull fractures and are some of the worst kinds of head injuries that a person can sustain. Besides being at high risk of brain injury, patients also have a much higher likelihood of suffering from an infection, which could cause abscesses and further damage to the brain itself.

Those who sustain head trauma in an accident could also end up suffering from an intracranial hematoma, which is a collection of blood in the skull and one of the most common forms of closed skull injuries. Usually the result of a ruptured blood vessel in the brain, the collection of blood, whether within the brain tissue itself or underneath the skull, can press on the brain, leading to the buildup of pressure and potential brain damage.

Skull Fracture Symptoms

The types of symptoms that a skull fracture victim suffers from will depend on which part of the skull was injured, as well as the severity of the impact, the age and health of the victim, and whether the wound was open or closed. Someone who suffers a closed fracture at the base of the skull, for instance, could experience bruising, or even the leaking of blood or cerebrospinal fluid from the ear. If the fracture, on the other hand, inflicted damage on the brain, then a person could suffer from seizures, repeated vomiting, severe headaches, paralysis, and confusion. Before obtaining treatment, a person will need to undergo a physical examination, as well as x-rays and CT scans, all of which can be expensive.

Recover Compensation for Your Skull Fracture Injury

If you or a loved one sustained a skull fracture as a result of someone else’s negligence, you could be entitled to compensation for your losses. Please call Boone & Davis at 954-566-9919 to learn more about your legal options from a dedicated member of our Fort Lauderdale personal injury legal team.

Resource:

mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/intracranial-hematoma/symptoms-causes/syc-20356145