If you have ever had a bad headache, you understand how debilitating such a condition can be. Perhaps, you’re one of many Texas residents who have had to call off work because your head hurt so badly you were unable to drive or carry out your duties in the workplace. Sadly, some people suffer from migraines or other chronic health conditions that produce a lot of head discomfort. If you are involved in a Texas motor vehicle collision, you’re at great risk for a skull fracture, which can cause one of the worst types of head pain.
There are numerous types of skull fractures, some more urgently dangerous than others. If another driver hits you, your top priority is to obtain medical attention as soon as possible, even if there are no visible signs of injury on your body. You could have a skull fracture and not know it.
What exactly is a skull fracture?
Your skull or cranial bone protects your brain. The sudden impact of a motor vehicle collision may cause you to hit your head on a hard surface. The thrust of one vehicle crashing into another can also cause your head and upper body to be violently shaken forward, sideways or backward, resulting in severe injury. If your cranial bone cracks, it is known as a skull fracture.
A skull fracture is one of many types of injury that is not always immediately apparent. The crack in your cranial bone might be tiny. Symptoms of your injury might delay for hours, days, even weeks after a collision. This is why it’s so important to closely monitor your condition.
These symptoms are often a sign of skull fracture
It’s natural to experience pain and discomfort, as well as emotional trauma following a collision. However, these and other symptoms may suggest that you have suffered a skull fracture, which is why it’s always best to return to the hospital or primary care physician to report your symptoms right away.
In addition to head pain, if you experience vision impairment or slurring of speech, it might mean that you are more severely injured than initially thought. If you’re having trouble remembering the answers to simple questions, it could be a sign of skull fracture. Symptoms such as light sensitivity, difficulty sleeping, erratic mood swings, as well as blood or clear liquid coming from your ear or nose, are all suggestive of skull fracture and should be immediately reported to a physician.
Specific types of skull fracture
There are four common types of skull fracture, all of which may result from a motor vehicle collision. You might have a closed or open fracture, a depressed fracture or a basal fracture. An open fracture means a bone would be penetrating through your skin whereas a closed fracture is a crack in the cranial bone that does not show from the outside.
A depressed fracture may produce a dent or compression in your head. A basal skull fracture is one of the most serious types of skull injury. It typically occurs near the base of the skull, near the spine. It can take months to recover from a basal skull fracture or any type of head injury. In fact, this type of injury often has permanent implications.
Recovering from a collision-caused skull fracture
If another Texas driver hits you, resulting in a skull fracture or other injuries, you shouldn’t have to bear the full financial burden associated with the collision. Many recovering accident victims seek compensation for damages in civil court.