Ohio residents involved in vehicle accidents may agree that everything happens so fast, yet in slow motion at the same time. Many people don’t even realize what happened until the vehicles come to rest. Under these conditions, you may not even realize that you hit your head or that something hit your head.
You could believe that you walked away uninjured, but in the hours or days afterward, it begins to become clear that you did suffer some sort of head injury.
Signs of a skull fracture
If you notice the following symptoms, you could have suffered a skull fracture during your accident:
- Pain at the point of impact
- A headache
- Loss of balance
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Drowsiness
- Irritability
- Confusion
- A stiff neck
- Impaired vision
- Restlessness
- Bleeding from a head wound
- Bleeding from the eyes, nose or ears
- Numbness
- Paralysis
- Losing consciousness
- Bruising under your eyes or behind your ears
- Swelling
- Fainting
Hopefully, you sought medical attention before losing control of your bladder or bowels, suffering convulsions, or suffering from breathing difficulties, among other severe symptoms.
More than one type of skull fracture exists
Skull fractures come in different forms and severity. A simple fracture doesn’t damage the skin. A splintering of the skull and a break in the skin indicates a compound fracture. Doctors diagnose a depressed fracture when part of the skull depresses inward toward the brain. When a fracture is a long thin line with no other splintering, depression, or distortion, doctors call it a linear fracture.
Under certain circumstances, a fractured skull can cause swelling or bleeding in the brain, which could lead to irreversible brain damage and even death. For this reason, among others, every skull fracture deserves quick and competent medical attention. The sooner treatment begins, the greater the chances are that you will experience a full recovery. It’s possible you could experience lingering effects from your injury for the rest of your life.
The next step
As you face a recovery that could require substantial medical care and time off work, you may begin to wonder how you will support yourself and your family during this time. Your concern may also be for the future, especially if you may need some sort of medical care for a long time, if not for the rest of your life. You may find that you can pursue compensation from the party or parties deemed at fault for the accident and, subsequently, your injuries.
