Brain Injuries from Oregon Trucking Accidents: Bend/Portland Trucking Accident Lawyers

Types of Brain Injuries from Explained by Our Bend/Portland, Oregon Trucking Accident Lawyers

One of the most serious personal injuries that a victim in an Oregon trucking accident could sustain is a brain injury.  While common in all auto accidents, brain injuries are more common due to the sheer size and weight of commercial vehicles.  This larger size generates more momentum which is more likely to exert force through the strong skull bones and damage the brain.  Because of this, 18 wheeler wrecks are more likely to result in brain injuries.  These brain injuries are also more likely to be severe, permanent, and debilitating.  Our Bend/Portland trucking accident lawyers explain the more common types of brain injuries and how they could result in catastrophic disability below.

Two Types of Head Injuries 

Generally, there are two types of head injuries.  Both could be caused by an Oregon trucking accident.  Additionally, both types of head injuries could result in serious personal injury and disability, including permanent loss of use, catastrophic disability, and significant loss of cognitive functioning.  The two general types of head injuries which could cause serious brain injuries in Oregon trucking accidents include the following:

Open head injuries – This is when the skull is fractured.  The fracture could be from the blunt force trauma, or it could be from a piercing injury through the skull.  In either situation, the brain can be exposed and susceptible to damage.

Closed head injuries – As the name implies, the skull is not penetrated, fractured, or damaged in a manner to expose the brain to the outside world.  However, the extent of the injury has lead to damage inside of the brain which causes serious damage.

Types of Brain Injuries from Oregon Trucking Accidents 

Both types of head injuries could be devastating.  Open head injuries are devastating because there is a foreign object inside of the head and into the brain.  If debris or physical damage slices into the brain, it could easily result in a person’s wrongful death.  Closed head injuries are dangerous because the skull and spinal column are in a “closed” system.  This means that there is certain autonomous regulation to keep a consistent intracranial pressure in the skull and spinal column.  But closed head injuries could cause swelling and bleeding in the skull which dramatically increase the intracranial pressure.  This could result in catastrophic injury and even wrongful death.  Thus, both open and closed head injuries are devastating.

With 18 wheeler wrecks and big rig crashes, there are some common brain injuries and traumatic brain injuries which include the following:

Coup-Contrecoup injuries – because the brain is suspended in fluid in the skull, when the skull is violently shaken or hit, the brain could slide around in the skull and sustain injury.  For example, in a rear end trucking accident the brain could violently launch forward and hit the front of the skull and cause injury.  Then the whiplash reaction would violently yank the brain backwards which could cause damage to the back end of the brain.  Thus, the brain would have injuries on the front and back of it.  This is incredibly devastating and dangerous because it could quickly increase intracranial pressure.

Concussions – while probably the most common brain injury which most people do not think is serious, some concussions can be absolutely catastrophic.  Serious concussions in Oregon trucking accidents could result in permanent and debilitating injury such as memory loss, loss of vision, loss of taste, speech problems, inability to formulate thoughts, and difficulty carrying out normal, every day functions.  Concussions are incredibly serious and should always be evaluated by a trained healthcare provider and then a lawyer.

Penetrating injuries – due to the sheer size and weight of commercial trucks, a violent collision could result in twisted steel and significantly damaged vehicles.  This means that debris could kick up and pierce into a person’s head and damage the brain.  Just how being shot in the head is often life-threatening and life-changing, penetrating injuries in trucking accidents are incredibly dangerous and sometimes fatal.  

Diffuse Axonal injuries – due to the violent shaking and impact, brain tissue could literally by torn, ripped, or otherwise damaged in a trucking accident.  This means that serious catastrophic injury could be caused when parts of the brain are damaged or separated from the other parts due to the damage of a collision.

Brain Injury Victims of Oregon Trucking Accidents Need to Call Our Bend Oregon Lawyers and Portland Oregon Lawyers

All brain injuries are potentially devastating and life threatening.  Some incredibly catastrophic brain injuries are likely to be traumatic brain injuries, which means that victims need to ensure their rights are protected to compensation for future services like nursing care, medical procedures, and at-home equipment installations.  

If you or a loved one have been seriously injured or killed as a result of a trucking accident or collision contact the Oregon Truck Accident Lawyers at Kuhlman Law at our number below or fill out the intake form.  We offer a free initial case evaluation and handle cases on a contingency fee which means that you pay no money unless we recover.  

Our law firm handles cases throughout the state including Bend and Portland Oregon, Redmond, Central Oregon, Multnomah County, Deschutes County, Salem, Eugene, Corvallis, Lane County, Medford, Gresham, Albany, Medford, Beaverton, Umatilla, Pendleton, and Hillsboro.  

We also have an office in Minneapolis, Minnesota and take Trucking accident cases throughout the Twin Cities, including St. Paul, Hennepin County, Ramsey County, Dakota County, Washington County, Anoka County, Scott County, Blaine, Stillwater, and Saint Paul Minnesota.  

Please act quickly, there is a limited time (Statute of Limitations) in which you can bring a claim under the law. 

For a free case evaluation

Call

(541) 385-1999 in Bend, Oregon
(503) 479-3646 in Portland, Oregon
(612) 444-3374 in Minnesota

– or fill out the form below –

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