Brain Contusions in Tampa Auto Accidents & the Role of Your Attorney

A brain contusion is a bruise on the brain. Similar to bruises on other areas of your body, a contusion occurs when small blood vessels in the brain leak into delicate brain tissue. While bruises elsewhere on the body are usually trivial injuries, contusions can be much more serious because they may cause permanent brain cell damage and disturb neurological functioning. In addition, a contusion may increase intracranial pressure, or the pressure inside the skull, which can further damage brain tissue.

Contusions are quite common in Tampa Bay, Florida auto accidents because of the “coup countrecoup” nature of these injuries. A coup countrecoup brain injury essentially means that at least two injuries occur on opposite sides of the brain. One injury occurs when the head impacts an object or is thrown violently in one direction, causing the brain to slide and impact the inside of the skull. This is called the coup injury. The countrecoup injury occurs when the brain bounces back within its fluid-filled environment and hits the opposite side of the skull.

In the case of auto accidents, a coup countrecoup injury in the brain may occur when the head strikes an object, such as a windshield or dashboard. A coup countrecoup brain injury can also happen if the head is subjected to rapid deceleration, such as when a moving car is stopped suddenly at the point of impact. The phenomenon of coup countrecoup means that an auto accident victim can suffer multiple contusions: a "coup" injury at the moment of impact, and then one or more "countrecoup" injuries as the brain bounces within the skull.

Working as a Tampa auto accidents attorney for many years, we've found that a common point of confusion for our clients is the difference between a contusion and a concussion. Both a contusion and a concussion are serious head traumas and both frequently occur during auto accidents in the Tampa Bay area, but the similarities end there. There are two basic ways that contusions are very different injuries than concussions. First, contusions occur in single locations on the brain (they are localized), while concussions are spread across brain tissue. Second, contusions are quite visible on brain scans like CT scans and MRI scans. Concussions are microscopic and cannot be seen on a brain scan.

The symptoms of a brain contusion vary, depending on the location and number of contusions. Some contusion symptoms may include:

• Double vision
• Vision loss
• Abnormal sensation
• Lack of coordination
• Physical weakness
• Memory loss
• Numbness
• Problems with perception, judgment, and reasoning

In some cases, a contusion can lead to lifelong and life-threatening conditions. For example, if pressure within the skull increases because of a contusion, it may result in a brain herniation, massive stroke, and even death. Rarely, but sometimes, a coup-countrecoup contusion injury can lead to a hematoma. A hematoma is rapid bleeding in the brain or a collection of blood in the brain. This collected blood increases intracranial pressure, leading to permanent brain damage or death. Finally, a contusion may leave scars on the brain, resulting in permanent impairment.

Tampa auto accidents attorney Dale Appell, P.A. is an experienced and aggressive advocate for those who have suffered contusions and other car accident injuries. Please contact us for a free assessment of your case or fill out the form on our “Do I have a case?” link. We welcome inquiries from here in Tampa, Florida and throughout the greater area including Sarasota, Thonotosassa, Pinellas, Safety Harbor, St Petersburg, Apollo Beach, Citrus, New Port Richey, Clearwater, and Pasco.