Every 15 seconds, someone in the United States will suffer a head injury. Alcohol is involved in more than half of these cases. Whether your injury is relatively minor or includes damage to the brain, the physical, emotional, and financial effects are felt by your entire family. The social changes you may have to endure can be a great burden to you and your loved ones. The lifelong costs of suffering a head injury can amount to over $4,000,000. The hospital stay alone may be 45 to 60 days with a bill of around $325,000. Post-hospital rehabilitation will cost another $125,000 a year.

Prevention of head injuries can be quite simple, but they may not always be the most practical. Not many of us are willing to wear a helmet for the duration of our waking hours. But it may not be inconvenient to put one on when we are riding a bicycle, going rollerblading, cruising on a motorcycle, or other similar activities. Most especially true for children, wearing the proper protective gear can save much more than money - It can mean the difference between life and death.

The number one cause of head injuries in our country is automobile accidents. One of the simplest ways to protect ourselves from serious injury is to wear our seatbelts while driving. It is estimated that as many as 25% of all head injury cases can be prevented if all cars had airbags. While most new cars come equipped with airbags, it is still vital that we wear our seatbelts.

The common types of head injuries today include the following:

• Concussion - A harsh injury that can cause you to pass out, become dazed, or loses your vision and balance for a short while.
• Brain contusion - The brain is bruised and may involve bleeding inside the head that can lead to swelling.
• Skull fracture - The skull is cracked and fragments of the bone can puncture the brain.
• Hematoma - Bleeding in the brain can collect and clot. It is not always apparent for up to several weeks later, but if the patient acts oddly or doesn't feel right, it is necessary to call a doctor.

Symptoms of a serious head injury include:

• The symptoms, such as headache, nausea, and sleepiness, get worse.
• Nausea does not go away.
• There are changes in behavior, such as irritability or confusion.
• Pupils are dilated (bigger than usual).
• It is difficult to walk or speak.
• Bloody or clear fluids drain from the nose or ears.
• The patient continues to vomit.
• Seizures may occur.
• Arms or legs become numb or weak.

Bisnar | Chase is a personal injury law firm that represents people who have been seriously injured. To most effectively serve the special needs of our clients, we limit our practice to matters involving serious personal injuries and wrongful death.

We do NOT charge a fee until there has been a monetary recovery in our client's case and we advance all costs and expenses.

All consultations, whether in our offices or your home or hospital room, are free.

If you or a loved one have suffered a head injury in California, call Bisnar | Chase for a free legal consultation or click here to fill out our convenient on-line head injury case evaluation form.