Car accidents may result in skull fractures for car occupants

Tennessee residents may know that there are several types of skull fractures. However, there is only one cause of skull fractures, namely, a blow to the head, such as one that occurs when a person’s head smashes into a windshield in a car accident.

The types of skull fractures include closed fracture, so called because the skin is not broken; open fracture, in which the skin is broken and the brain can be seen; depressed fracture, in which the skull is pushed into the brain; and basal fracture in which the door of the skull is fractured. This can be around the eyes, ears, nose or back. Other types of fractures include comminuted, in which the skull is broken in three or more places; linear, in which the break is a straight line, and greenstick, which is an incomplete fracture.

Symptoms of a skull fracture include bleeding from the nose and ears, bruising on the face, and pain and swelling around the area where the hit occurred. Treatment options range from pain medication for simple fractures to surgery for complicated fractures. A victim may also suffer from headaches, nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, fainting and irritability, among other symptoms.

Motor vehicle accidents are a major cause of head injuries and skull fractures. Car accident victims frequently hit their heads on the side and front windows when another car crashes into the vehicle that they are riding in. This is why it’s important for anyone who suffers a head injury to seek immediate medical attention if they show symptoms that are indicative of a skull fracture. Such injuries may make them eligible for a personal injury claim.

Source: Healthline, “Skull Fractures”, Mary Ellen Ellis, December 20, 2014

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