You may have heard the term “closed-head injury” before. Generally speaking, this type of injury describes an injury from a blow to the head where the skull remains intact. The extent of the injury can range from a bump or a concussion to severe head trauma, with treatments ranging from rest and pain medication to surgical intervention.
Closed-head injuries in Kentucky carry a number of serious complications, including:
- Brain swelling – If the scalp remains intact, the brain may swell with no place to expand, causing pressure to build up underneath the skull. This increases the risk of further injury due to compressed brain tissue.
- Eye damage – A swollen brain may expand through any opening it can reach, including the eye sockets. If the brain compresses the ocular nerves, a victim may lose visual function or have uneven pupil dilation.
- Emergency measures – Doctors will commonly attempt to prevent brain damage by relieving intracranial pressure. If the patient does not respond to diuretics or anti-seizure medication, the patient may need surgery to drain blood deposits in the brain or a “window in the skull” to give the swollen brain tissue room to expand.
- Coma – If the damage to the brain is extensive, doctors may opt to induce a coma to shut down the patient’s brain, preserving higher brain function and allowing the brain to heal itself.
If someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury, the Louisville head injury attorneys at Gray and White can advise you of your legal options at no cost to you. Call us today at 800.634.8767 or fill out the contact form on the top of this page to set up your FREE, one-on-one consultation. Your call is free, and we charge you nothing unless we win your case.