Coup and contrecoup brain injuries are types of traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) that can result from a personal injury incident involving direct impact to the head. A personal injury accident, such as a car accident, truck accident, or slip and fall accident, can cause blunt force trauma to the head, which can cause brain damage and result in a coup or contrecoup brain injury.
Coup and contrecoup brain injuries can significantly impact a person’s life, as they can struggle with intense headaches, memory loss, and vision problems. Personal injury victims who suffer a coup or contrecoup brain injury can file a personal injury claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company to recover compensation for damages, such as medical bills, lost earning potential, and loss of enjoyment of life.
What are the Differences Between Coup and Contrecoup Brain Injuries?
Personal injury accidents can cause direct blunt-force trauma to the head that can result in a coup or contrecoup brain injury. These are different types of traumatic brain injuries categorized by where the brain receives damage. A coup brain injury is one where the damage to the brain occurs directly below the impact site. For example, in a truck accident, a hard object in the car could fly out of its compartment and smack into your head and cause a coup brain injury. This type of injury is associated with a moving object striking your stationary head.
A contrecoup brain injury is when a direct blow to the head causes the brain to shake and hit the opposite side of the skull. This injury normally occurs when your head is moving and strikes a stationary object. For example, you could smash your head into a light pole during a motorcycle crash. The speed of the crash could cause a whiplash that results in your brain smashing into the back of your skull, causing a contrecoup brain injury. This type of brain injury is often misdiagnosed because the damage occurs on the other side of the brain from where the direct blow happened.
You can also suffer a coup-contrecoup brain injury, a combination of both a coup and contrecoup brain injury. Your brain receives major damage below the site of the direct head blow and on the opposite side because the head struck the skull. This severe type of brain injury can cause intense damage to your brain and permanent brain damage.
Car Accidents Can Cause Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injuries
One way someone can suffer a coup-contrecoup injury is through a car accident. Your head can receive blunt force trauma through a direct blow by a hard object, such as the steering wheel, dashboard, or building wall. The impact of the blow can cause brain damage below the impact site and on the other side of the site of impact due to your brain smashing into your skull.
Car accidents that cause coup-contrecoup brain injuries can result from the negligent driving behavior of another driver. Some of those behaviors, such as speeding, drunk driving, and distracted driving, can expose other drivers on the road to harm in the form of a car accident. You could hold a negligent driver accountable for damages caused by a coup-contrecoup brain injury in a car accident claim.
Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injuries Caused by Slip and Fall Accidents
Another type of personal injury accident that can cause a coup-contrecoup brain injury is a slip and fall accident. Walking hazards, such as wet floors, loose tiling, and exposed electrical wiring, can cause a person to slip and hit their head on a hard surface. For example, you could be at a hotel where there was a water spill with no sign indicating the floor was wet. You could slip on the water, hit your head on the linoleum floor, and your brain could rattle due to the impact.
The damage caused by a slip and fall accident, like the example above, could cause a coup-contrecoup brain injury that could irreparably change the victim’s life. The property owner could be held liable in a slip and fall claim for an accident like that because not putting out a wet floor sign is negligent behavior.
How Can a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury Affect a Victim’s Life?
In the days and weeks after suffering a coup-contrecoup brain injury, severe symptoms can manifest that can cause significant pain and alter how you live your life. Coup-contrecoup injuries can change your daily life and make certain activities, such as driving, much more difficult than they were before.
The following are some of the symptoms of coup-contrecoup brain injuries:
- Intense headaches
- Memory loss
- Loss of consciousness
- Sensitivity to light and sound
- Muscle weakness
- Worsened concentration
- Dizziness
- Vision issues
Coup-contrecoup brain injuries can cause significant damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. You could pursue compensation for these damages by filing a personal injury claim with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help You Recover Compensation for Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury Damages?
Hiring a personal injury lawyer can help with the process of pursuing compensation for coup-contrecoup brain injury damages. They will have experience handling claims involving the type of personal injury accident you suffered from, such as a car, truck, or slip and fall accident. They understand how you can suffer after experiencing a coup-contrecoup brain injury and can use their experience to help you recover compensatory damages.
Some of the ways a personal injury lawyer can help recover compensation for coup-contrecoup brain injury damages include determining the value of your claim, assigning liability, collecting evidence, explaining your rights, and negotiating a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. The best way to put you in an optimal position to recover compensatory damages for a coup-contrecoup brain injury is by hiring an experienced local personal injury lawyer.
Contact The Russo Firm for Help With Your Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury Claim
If you suffered a coup-contrecoup brain injury from a personal injury accident, you should contact the personal injury lawyers at The Russo Firm.
We have experience in all types of personal injury accidents that can cause a coup-contrecoup brain injury. We can apply that experience to your case and help get you fair compensation for your damages.
Allow our personal injury lawyers to help you recover compensatory damages for your coup-contrecoup brain injury with personalized legal counsel shaped around your case’s specifics.
Our personal injury lawyers offer free consultations to show people who suffered coup-contrecoup brain injuries how we can help them recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, loss of consortium, etc. Contact us at (561) 270-0913 or leave a message on our online contact page.
