A car accident affects not only the parties involved in the accident, but also their loved ones. When a victim is fortunate enough to walk away from the crash with their life, there are a number of other catastrophic injuries that could hamper the car accident victim’s and their family member’s quality of life for a long time to come-in some instances, even permanently.
A head injury, in the form of skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries, are some of the most common injuries that follow a car accident. In fact, according to one report, 30 percent of the more than 55,000 teenage drivers seriously injured between 2009 and 2010 in car crashes suffered acute head injuries mentioned above. Even though the number is declining over time, it is still high enough for car crashes to be labeled the most common cause of TBI- related death in 15-19 year olds.
It is very uncommon for car accident victims suffering a head injury to be able to recover completely from their injuries and this can have a long lasting impact on everyone near and dear to the victim. Though it is difficult to prevent car accidents from taking place, researchers have found that the graduated licensing system, similar to what is being followed in Ohio, does go a long way in reducing both brain injuries and fatalities in young drivers. The more comprehensive these laws are, the lower the rate of accidents and fatalities.
Brain injuries and other injuries suffered in a car accident require medical attention and, in some circumstances, even prolonged medical care that an Ohio family may not have budgeted for and therefore is not prepared. One way to get compensation for medical treatment may be through filing a personal injury case against the negligent driver who caused the accident in the first place.
Source: Forbes, “Car crashes are the leading cause of fatal head trauma among teens,” Jim Gorzelany, April 2, 2012
