Closed-Head Trauma Resulting From a Maryland Commercial Trucking Accident

Being involved in a traffic accident – while driving an economy car, mid-size sedan, SUV or minivan – is usually a shocking event. Even minor fender-benders can shake a person up, and this doesn’t even address the difficulties that can be encountered when filing an insurance claim. Emotional upset aside, it is the physical injuries that many people associate with a Maryland car, truck or motorcycle collision. Severe bodily injury can lead to weeks or months in the hospital, with all its attendant pain, discomfort and financial stress.

Of course, the size of one’s vehicle can help to lessen the effects of any particular roadway accident, though it is no guarantee of total protection or safety. One thing that the legal professionals at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, understand is that no passenger vehicle can truly be a match against a 30-ton tractor-trailer rig. If the car in which you or a loved one are riding is struck by a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) on the highway, city street or beltway, the results could be catastrophic.

The fact of the matter is that many hundreds of drivers unknowingly skirt injury or death on a daily basis here in Maryland, as well as in the District of Columbia. Safe passage or disaster can be separated by a mere matter of seconds when it comes to a serious road accident. As experienced auto and trucking accident attorneys, we are oftentimes amazed at how many people actually avoid life-threatening automobile, motorcycle and commercial trucking collisions in places such as D.C., Bowie, Gaithersburg, Rockville and Owings Mills.

Of the thousands of people involved in auto and trucking-related accidents each year in this state, about 600 of these victims die in fatal collisions. The death of any innocent person is certainly a tragedy, but it is important to remember that Maryland traffic fatalities are comparatively low when one considers the total number of roadway accidents that occur annually. As Baltimore personal injury lawyers, we know that more than 50,000 individuals are hurt each year in the 100,000-plus roadway accidents that take place in around Maryland, not to mention Washington, D.C.

Despite a high survival rate, being involved in an automobile or commercial trucking accident is hardly a pleasant experience. And those who do survive those more serious traffic wrecks can often face a lifetime of chronic pain and physical discomfort. Although a large percentage of traffic accident victims go on to live long productive lives, some unlucky people can suffer debilitating medical conditions brought on by serious head, neck and back injuries.

As Baltimore personal injury attorneys with experience in handling commercial trucking-related injury accidents, Lebowitz & Mzhen understands how the simplest of driving mistakes can lead to a serious traffic accident with deadly consequences. Negligence on the part of a commercial trucker should not be ignored, especially when the injured victim is left on the hook -- not only fighting for his life in some cases, but also fighting to pay his medical bills. Both victims and their families can suffer greatly due to the careless or outright negligent actions of a professional truck driver.

A percentage of traffic-related injuries involve complications with the brain and spinal cord. As seasoned commercial truck accident lawyers, our staff is ready to help victims of trucking-related collisions, as, well as their families. We know that closed-head trauma is one of the more severe and long-term injuries that a trucking accident victim may wind up dealing with.

As is often the case, concussions and other head trauma can be potentially debilitating. While also associated with sports injuries, bicycle accidents and motorcycle collisions, closed-head injuries are very common in traffic collisions involving passenger cars and commercial trucks. Concussions, which are one of the numerous types of brain injury, are often brought on by a blow to the head. The impact of the victim’s head with a stationary part of the car’s interior can cause the brain to move rapidly back and forth within the confines of the skull.

Concussions and other closed-head injuries are also rather difficult to recognize by simply looking at a patient. The high-energy movement of the brain within the skull can easily cause traumatic injury to delicate structures of the brain, but the injury is not always evident, as the damage is hidden from view. Because of this, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms of a concussion. Even so, the effects of a concussion or other traumatic brain injury may not surface for hours or even days following a bad traffic accident.

It is important for anyone who is involved in a traffic accident to see a physician in order to rule out brain trauma. By having a medical professional examine the victim for neurological problems, serious complications later on may be avoided. Some of the more obvious signs of a brain concussion can include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Loss of consciousness (even for a short amount of time)
• Difficulty concentrating or trouble thinking
• Sudden onset of fatigue or an excess feeling grogginess
• High sensitivity to light and/or noise
• The feeling of “pressure” inside the head
• Severe or debilitating headaches
• Sudden change in emotional state; uncharacteristic emotional reaction to people and events
• Overwhelming feelings of sadness; crying for no reason; irritability; and excessive nervousness
• Loss of coordination and/or balance
• Having a look of confusion; dazed or stunned appearance
• Numbness and/or tingling in the legs, arms or extremities
• Difficulty recalling events prior to or following the injury
• Sleep disruption; significant changes in sleep duration; extreme difficulty getting to sleep

Following any kind of serious head trauma, it is often difficult to know if the accident victim’s injuries are improving or subsiding. Most people need time and rest to recover from a closed-head injury, therefore any strenuous physical activity should be avoided until advised by a doctor. Similarly, activities involving more intense mental activity, such as deep concentration, or even using a computer or playing video games should also be avoided during the recovery period.

Parents of small children who have been involved in a car or trucking-related traffic accident should understand that closed-head injuries are the leading cause of death for children under four years of age. Brain trauma is also one of the most common causes of physical disability and cognitive impairment in young people. As commercial trucking injury lawyers, the legal team at Lebowitz & Mzhen understands Maryland personal injury law and how it applies to roadway accidents that lead to closed-head injury.

If you have been seriously injured as a result of commercial trucking crash, we recommend that you contact a qualified personal injury attorney. As skilled professionals, Lebowitz & Mzhen have the litigation experience and legal training to prepare a strong personal injury lawsuit. Please call our offices at our toll-free number -- (800) 654-1949 -- to schedule a no-obligation consultation. Or, email either Jack Lebowitz or Vadim Mzhen to arrange a meeting to review the facts of your personal injury claim.