Accident on Southbound SR 51 Results in Minor Injuries
A multiple-vehicle crash in Sacramento on December 10 reported minor injuries. The crash occurred around 7:21 p.m. on south SR 51 north of the off-ramp for Exposition Boulevard, blocking two lanes of traffic. The report issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said the collision involved a Ford Fusion, Hyundai Elantra, and a Lexus SUV hybrid.
Traffic Slowed by Multiple-Vehicle Crash on SR 51
Emergency responders with the Sacramento Fire Department arrived to assess injuries after one person was reported as bleeding from the head. Tow trucks were called to remove the vehicles, and right front-end damage was reported in the Lexus. The accident scene wasn’t cleared until sometime after 8:30 p.m. The CHP is conducting an investigation to determine fault and how the multiple-vehicle crash occurred.
Head Injuries in a Car Accident
Any type of head injury suffered in a car accident should be checked out by a physician or at the emergency room. This is because more serious symptoms may be delayed for hours, days, or even weeks. Many traumatic brain injuries require hospitalization or extensive care to treat. They often result in high medical bills, hospitalization and rehabilitation. A more serious TBI can cause permanent brain damage. Some head injuries may result in:
- Concussion: A concussion may be minor or more severe. Most heal in a few months. However, more serious concussions can result in headaches and cognitive changes for much longer.
- Hemorrhage: Hemorrhage can occur that causes bleeding within the tissue of the brain. Survival depends on rapid medical care and severity. Recovery can be long-term.
- Hematoma: A hematoma is a blood clot that forms on the surface of the brain. Some hematomas heal on their own, while others can worsen, requiring a craniotomy or drainage.
- Skull fracture: When a crack or break appears in the skull because of an accident, it can damage the brain inside. In addition, a skull fracture can cause the cerebrospinal fluid to leak out through the ears or nose and cause seizures and infections.
- Ischemia: Ischemia causes the brain’s blood supply to decrease. This decrease can result in brain damage.
- Diffuse Axonal Injury: This serious TBI happens when the brain shifts in the skull and shears off the axons. Because nerve cells cannot communicate any longer, it can result in severe brain damage, causing catastrophic disabilities and death.
Recovering Damages Following a Multiple-Vehicle Crash
Because more than one driver may be responsible for injuries in a multiple-vehicle crash, it is important to conduct an investigation. Your injury lawyer can gather the evidence to support your claim for compensation, which includes:
- The injured party can recover the cost of all medical expenses that are associated with the accident. This includes everything from the ambulance fee and hospitalization to testing, physician bills, medications, and rehabilitation. If the injury continues into the future, those costs are factored into the settlement.
- Lost wages from the inability to work can be recovered. If the injury causes the individual to take a lower-paying job or results in permanent disability, those costs are factored in also.
- Pain and suffering includes not only physical but emotional and psychological trauma. Your attorney can explain what this entails.
Car Accident Lawyer in Sacramento
I am Ed Smith, a car accident lawyer in Sacramento. We can offer you free and friendly advice on whether you can file a claim if you were injured by someone else’s negligence. Get in touch with us at (916) 921-6400 or at (800) 404-5400. An online contact form is available too, if you prefer to message us.
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My team of injury lawyers and I have helped many people to recover the compensation that they deserve in all types of traffic collisions, government and product liability claims, wrongful deaths, and other cases since 1982.
Photo attribution: Image by Valter Cirillo from Pixabay
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