As one of the traumatic brain injuries, countercoup brain injury can also lead to severe problems for the body. Moreover, many accidents can provoke brain damage. Therefore, you need to know more about this injury and your legal options when the accident occurs. Keep reading to learn more about this brain injury!
What Does Countercoup Brain Injury Mean?
In French, ‘contrecoup’ means the counterblow. Thus, contrecoup brain injury refers to the contusion remotes from the actual impact source to the head. In short, the position of contrecoup injury is on the opposite side of the point of impact.
Thus, this brain injury is the opposite of a coup brain injury. While the damage of a coup injury is directly on the site of impact, the contrecoup injury is the opposite.
Typically, a coup injury occurs when moving objects strike the stationary head. Meanwhile, contrecoup happens when the moving brain or head hits immobile objects.
4 Theories of Development of Contrecoup Injury
There are four theories about the development of contrecoup brain injury. See the explanation below.
1. Positive Pressure Theory
According to this theory, the injury occurs because the brain can’t move along with the initial movement of the skull. As a result, it leads the brain to compress to the stationary irregular skull. Consequently, the brain clashes with the opposite side of the head and causes damage.
2. Negative Pressure Theory
Negative pressure or cavitation theory claims that the movement of the brain in a specific direction could generate stress on the opposite area of the brain. As a result, this movement could have the potential to injure the cerebral tissue in that particular area.
3. Rotational Sheer Stress Theory
In rotational shear stress theory, brain damage could occur due to the rotation of the brain and the displacement along the trauma axis.
4. Angular Acceleration Theory
Angular acceleration hypothesizes that the brain has an interconnection to some area, for example, brain stem. As a result, some specific areas have a higher potential for acceleration and deceleration within the brain.
What Are the Causes of the Countercoup Brain Injury?
Typically, contrecoup brain injury occurs due to the severe impact on the head. Therefore, any accident that causes harm to your head has the possibility to cause brain damage. You may see the causes example explained below.
1. Motor Vehicle Accident
Many automobile accidents lead to brain damage. For example, in a car collision, the driver could hit their head on the steering wheel, dashboard, and windshield. Consequently, the driver will get injured in the head, which affects the brain.
The same case also happens to motorcycles. When the accident occurs, the motorist might get thrown from their motorcycles and collide with the pavement. Although they may wear a helmet to prevent the crash, it does not fully protect their skull from collision.
2. Sport Accident
Participating in sports can increase health and is also fun. However, some sports require protective gear to prevent injury. Furthermore, many factors could lead to accidents that harm the brain during sports, for example, wrong moves, aggressive players, or lack of protection gear.
Besides, some team sports are more likely to provoke accidents that can lead to brain injury, like soccer, rugby, boxing, hockey, and wrestling.
3. Pedestrian Accident
Pedestrians are also prone to accidents. This accident could happen when pedestrians or other people do reckless acts that cause danger. For example, they get hit by imprudent drivers when crossing the road. In another case, the pedestrians aren’t careful when crossing the street.
Consequently, the pedestrian got injured due to the accident. Unfortunately, most pedestrians don’t wear any protection, so their injuries can be much worse.
4. Bicycle Accident
Similar to motorcycle or automobile accidents, cyclists can get into an accident. Even though some cyclists wear helmets, the helmet can’t provide sufficient protection in case of hard collisions. As a result, they might collide their head with another object which leads to brain injury.
5. Workplace Accident
The jobs where you have to deal with heavy objects, machinery, or electrical wires also hide possible threats and working accidents. Moreover, these kinds of working accidents’ result can be fatal, and resulting in brain injury.
6. Slip and Falls Accident
Although a slip and fall accident seems a small accident, the result can be dangerous for your body, especially when your head hits the floor or objects. The impact when hitting the floor could make the brain jolt and collide with the interior of your skull.
The Common Symptoms of Countrecoup Brain Injury
As one of the traumatic brain injuries, countercoup brain injury shares similar symptoms with other brain injuries. Hence, there are three classifications for these symptoms based on their severity.
1. Mild Injury
The mild injury may not be harmful. However, it still affects your brain and body physically and mentally. The symptoms of mild injury include:
- headache;
- vomiting or nausea;
- loss of balance;
- fatigue;
- sensory problems;
- loss of consciousness for a few seconds;
- confusion;
- mood swing;
- feeling anxious; and
- sleeping problem.
2. Moderate to Severe Injury
In a worse scenario, head injury may lead to moderate or severe complications. The symptoms of severe injury might include any signs of mild injury. However, these symptoms may appear for hours to days after the incident. The symptoms may involve:
- painful headache for a long time;
- repeated vomiting;
- fainting for several minutes to hours;
- numbness;
- seizures;
- dilation of one or both pupils;
- unable to wake from sleep;
- loss coordination;
- agitation;
- profound confusion;
- slurred speech; and
- coma.
3. Children’s Symptoms
Children or infants might not be able to communicate their symptoms well. Therefore, you can observe the brain injury due to an accident through some of the following behaviors:
- persistent crying;
- sad or depressed mood;
- drowsiness;
- nursing or eating habit change;
- sleep habits change;
- seizure; and
- loss interest in their favorite toys.
The Treatment for the Countercoup Brain Injury
The treatments for contrecoup brain injury can vary depending on the severity of the trauma. Treatments for mild injury may only require rest, medication, or monitoring of the symptoms.
On the other hand, severe cases might require more extensive measures, such as rehabilitation or even surgery. Unfortunately, in some cases, persons afflicted with contrecoup injury may suffer long-term or even permanent impairments.
Can You File a Lawsuit for Countercoup Brain Injury?
It is possible for the victims or their custodians to file a lawsuit following a brain injury caused by accidents.
Yet, filing a lawsuit for a brain injury can be complicated and time-consuming. Additionally, it can weigh the accident victim with other stress. Moreover, it requires a meticulous understanding of the legal process and strategic approach.
For that reason, it is essential to hire the services of a qualified attorney. They can help you to navigate the legal procedure quickly with their broad knowledge. When they determine the liable party, they will pursue the best compensation on your behalf.
What Compensation Do You Get for the Claim?
Suffering from a brain injury can be a horrible experience. Not only does it bring pain, but the treatment for the trauma can also be expensive. In a terrible situation, the damage can result in incapacitating injury and prevent someone from carrying out their normal daily activities. Inevitably, you will depend on restitution for your recovery.
There are several compensations you could get from a brain injury claim. The restitution includes:
- medical expenses,
- lost income,
- physical therapy costs, and
- disability cost.
Get Legal Guidance for countercoup Brain Injury Claims!
Severe complications might happen in the future if you do not handle the countercoup brain injury in a proper time and manner. Besides following the medical treatment, seeking legal guidance from professionals will also help you manage the legal proceedings after the accident.
If the accident meets the criteria, the assistance of a legal representative helps you to get the indemnity you deserve.
