Santa Barbara Accident Results in Traumatic Brain Injury
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara brain injury lawyer. A run off road crash due to driver error along California State Route 154 caused major injuries to both a driver of a vehicle and his passenger who suffered serious head trauma. After the collision, the highway was shut down in part while an investigation by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) was conducted, and the victims of the crash were rescued and transported to a hospital.
Accident Details
The crash occurred about 2:00 in the afternoon when the driver of a Toyota pickup was heading east on the highway at Windy Gap near Painted Cave. According to a spokesman for the CHP, the driver made an unsafe move toward the right. This caused the vehicle to strike a curb and overturn while traveling down the hill and stop about 300 feet down from the road.
Emergency personnel from the Santa Barbara Fire Department were required to extricate the accident victims from the wreckage. The brain trauma victim had to be airlifted up to the road before being transported to a near by hospital.
Victims Identified
The victims in the crash were identified as Christopher Scott, age 58, and Mary Scott, age 50, both residents of Santa Barbara. Ms. Scott suffered severe head injuries while Mr. Scott suffered internal injuries. Both are said to be in a medical condition described as critical by authorities at the Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. Mr. Scott was arrested by police and is facing a charge of DUI in this incident.
Traumatic Brain Injury Statistics
Overall, 2.8 million accidents result in brain injuries, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 19 percent of them are from car accidents. This means that approximately 912,000 traumatic brain injuries are caused by motor vehicle accidents each year. Fatalities due to head trauma are estimated at 14 percent of that number or 173,280 deaths. TBI-related injuries from motor vehicle accidents cut across all gender and age groups, but death is most common in the 5-24 year-old group. Individuals aged 15-44 are most often hospitalized.
Common TBIs Associated with a Car Accident
While the nature of the crash may predispose the occupants of a motor vehicle to head injury, even small blows to the head during an accident can result in serious TBI. During a motor vehicle accident, the skull may strike hard surfaces such as a window or steering wheel or be exposed to sudden rotational forces. The brain, encased by the skull, continues to move after an impact, slamming into the walls of the skull while tearing brain tissue or becoming bruised. Sometimes, this will result in bleeding, which causes pressure on the brain, resulting in symptoms.
The most common traumatic brain injury sustained after a motor vehicle accident are:
- Concussion: To cause this injury, either the brain hits into the skull with force at the point of impact or rapid back and forth movement by the head during cervical (neck) strain causes damage to the brain. The blood vessels may stretch and tear, and damage to the cranial nerves may occur. An individual may lose consciousness or simply feel dazed. Other symptoms are: dizziness, disorientation, forgetfulness or nausea. Since a concussion does not show up on a CT scan or X-ray, it is sometimes called a diagnosis of exclusion, meaning nothing else can be found that explains the symptoms the person has. In many cases, a concussion will improve in several months, however, it may take years if the trauma to the brain was severe. A post-concussion syndrome or what is referred to as shell-shock is common.
- Subdural Hematoma: Subdural hematomas are a collection of blood that lies between the brain and one of several layers that cover it under the skull. They can result from significant impact or a small blow to the head, depending on the person’s age and the use of blood thinners. A subdural hematoma causes pressure on the brain, resulting in symptoms such as confusion, headache and vomiting. The pressure is relieved by draining the blood. On some occasions, a small hematoma will resolve on its own.
- Diffuse Axonal Injury: Diffuse axonal injury is often caused by rotational forces on the skull in a car accident. The injury the brain sustains occurs because the brain movement lags behind that of the skull. When this happens, a shearing force damages brain tissue in different parts of the brain with concomitant release of chemicals, resulting in more damage. This serious injury can cause significant symptoms, coma or even death. Specific symptoms are related to the area that is torn.
Santa Barbara Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Santa Barbara brain injury lawyer. If you or a family member has experienced a traumatic brain injury due to the negligent actions of another individual or entity, give me a call at (805) 372-0200 or (800) 404-5400. I consider it a privilege to offer you my free, friendly advice.
For 35 years, I have worked hard as an injury lawyer to obtain compensation for victims of traumatic injuries from motor vehicle accidents and with wrongful death claims.
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