Man Found Unconscious in Rt. 50 East Collision in Sacramento
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident and personal injury lawyer. A May 21 South Sacramento collision between three vehicles along U.S. 50 East caused injury to one man and left a trail of debris across all the lanes of traffic. According to a California Highway Patrol (CHP) report, the airbags in all the vehicles deployed in the collision.
Accident Details
The crash happened during rush hour traffic a few minutes before 8:00 a.m. just west of the 59th Street exit ramp. The vehicles involved in the collision were reported as a Dodge Charger and two Honda Accords. Two of the cars in the crash collided with the center divider, and both Hondas ended up on the right-hand side. Tow trucks and emergency medical personnel were called to the scene of the accident. One man was reported as unresponsive, but no other information has been released about his condition.
Reasons for Loss of Consciousness
There are several reasons why someone loses consciousness in an accident. This can be due to a medical emergency, a blow to the head, rapid back and forth movement of the neck or airbag injury. A medical emergency will generally precede the crash and can be verified with tests to evaluate the person’s condition. Traumatic brain injury is a more common cause, and airbag injuries are often unexpected but happen routinely.
Traumatic Brain Injury in a Crash
In a car crash, the head may be thrown side-to-side due to the impact. As the head moves, the brain hits the inside of the skull. Since the inside of the skull can be uneven, blood vessels can be torn. Also, the brain is bruised when it hits the skull. These two mechanisms can do a good deal of damage, particularly to the frontal and temporal lobes (above and around the temple). The extent of damage is correlated to the force of impact, which is dependent on the speed of the vehicle.
Axonal Injury
There are filament-like structures that resemble a thread in the brain. They connect one brain cell to another. In turn, this links different parts of the brain as they transmit messages along the threads. Injury occurs when the axonal filaments are stretched and damaged. It causes diffuse brain injury and is one of the most severe forms of TBI. It is also a significant reason for unconsciousness. It often leads to a vegetative state. Currently, it is not easily detected on MRI, but a new adaptation called Diffusion Tensor Imaging is much more likely to show this injury.
Air Bag Injury
Airbags are a necessary component of a vehicle’s safety system. However, their function corresponds with the height of the individual. Smaller persons may incur injury due to an airbag deployment.
It is essential to be aware of the requirements for airbag usage in the vehicle. The problem is that airbags deploy quickly at 25 to 50 milliseconds. Several things can go wrong. If the person is sitting too close to the airbag, the effect can be damaging. Hearing loss, vertigo, concussion, loss of consciousness and TBI have all been reported. Putting your seat as far back as possible helps as does wearing seat restraints. Shorter people have difficulty in adjusting the seat backward while being able to reach the pedals.
Sacramento Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento car accident and personal injury lawyer. Accident injuries can mean lost time from work and mounting medical bills. If your accident was caused by a negligent driver, you might be entitled to fair compensation. Just reach out to me at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for friendly and free advice. You can reach me online too if that is easier for you.
I’ve helped numerous Sacramento residents with different types of accidents and wrongful death claims.
If you would like to know more about my practice, go to the following pages where you’ll find reviews by clients and peers as well as examples of how other cases were resolved:
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Photo Attribution: https://pixabay.com/en/ambulance-rescue-emergency-118-2901017/
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