Kenny Habetz Injury Law | March 14, 2025 | Brain Injuries
When you take a blow to the head, it has the potential to change your life in an instant. Injuries can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage, and symptoms aren’t always immediately obvious. If you suffer blunt force head trauma, knowing what it is, how it happens, and how to respond can make a significant difference in your recovery.
What Is Blunt Force Head Trauma?
Blunt force head trauma happens when something strikes the head without penetrating the skull. Unlike sharp force injuries, which involve punctures or cuts, blunt trauma is caused by an impact, blow, or collision. It can lead to bruising, swelling, and even internal bleeding in the brain — all of which can cause serious health complications.
Depending on the force behind the impact, the injury can be minor or severe. People sometimes don’t even realize they’ve been hurt until the symptoms start to show up hours or even days later. That’s why it’s important to know the signs and act quickly.
Common Causes of Blunt Force Head Trauma
A person can suffer blunt force trauma to the head in a number of different scenarios, though they’re seen more often in certain types of accidents than others.
Vehicle Accidents
Even with seat belts and airbags, the force of a motorcycle, truck, or car crash can knock a person’s head into the dashboard, window, steering wheel, or other hard surface. Rear-end collisions can also cause whiplash, which can jolt the brain around inside the skull.
Falls
Slips, trips, and falls are another major cause of head trauma. Whether a person tumbles from a ladder, trips on a staircase, or slips on a wet floor, the impact on the ground can easily be enough to cause a serious head injury.
Sports Injuries
Athletes — especially those in contact sports like football, hockey, and boxing — are at a high risk for head trauma. Even with protective gear, repeated blows to the head can cause serious damage to the brain over a period of time.
Physical Assaults
A direct blow from a fist, bat, or other object can cause serious trauma to the head. Even if there aren’t any visible bruises or cuts, it doesn’t take much to cause significant internal injuries.
Workplace Accidents
Construction sites, warehouses, and similar high-risk workplaces tend to involve heavy machinery, slippery surfaces, and falling objects. Anyone with a job in these environments can encounter a head injury during the regular course of their workday.
Signs and Symptoms To Watch for
A head injury isn’t always obvious. Sometimes, the symptoms appear right away, but just as often, they can take a long time to develop. It’s important to pay attention to any changes in how a person feels or behaves after being struck in the head.
If symptoms show up right away, they’ll likely include:
- Headaches
- Pressure in the head
- Dizziness
- Loss of balance
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Confusion
- Trouble concentrating
- Blurred vision
- Sensitivity to light and/or loud noises
- Loss of consciousness (even for only a few seconds)
When the damage takes longer to show up, it usually manifests through various cognitive troubles. Victims might have trouble sleeping or start having mood swings. Their memories could be affected, and they might have a hard time thinking rationally. Persistent headaches are another common complaint, as is slurred speech.
If any of these symptoms appear after an accident, get to the hospital right away. Head injuries often get worse over time if they’re ignored.
Types of Blunt Force Head Trauma
There are various types of blunt-force head trauma, and everyone experiences a head injury differently. However, certain types of blunt trauma are often seen in accidents.
Concussion
A concussion is the most common type of blunt-force head injury. The brain is shaken around inside the skull, usually because of a sudden impact. Concussions are generally considered a “mild” form of traumatic brain injury, but they can still create a lot of health problems, including headaches, confusion, and dizziness.
Contusion
The brain can be bruised just like any other part of the body when it hits the inside of the skull in an impact. If the bruise inside the brain is large, surgery might be required to reduce the swelling and prevent additional damage. A contusion is also called an intracerebral hematoma.
Subdural or Epidural Hematoma
These types of hematoma happen when blood collects outside the brain. A large blood clot can put a lot of pressure on the brain, requiring emergency surgery to correct it.
Skull Fracture
The skull can suffer from a fracture just like any other bone in the body. Not all skull fractures are dangerous, but some can cause serious injury if a bone fragment presses into the brain tissue.
Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI)
This type of injury happens when the brain rapidly shifts inside the skull and causes tears in the nerve fibers. Diffuse axonal injury is one of the most severe forms of head trauma and can cause long-term brain damage or even send a person into a coma.
Recovery and Long-Term Effects
Healing from a head injury takes time and can’t be rushed. Some people can recover within a few weeks, while others end up dealing with symptoms for weeks, months, or even years after their accident.
Mild concussions usually improve with rest, avoiding screen time, and taking a break from physically and mentally strenuous activities. However, a more serious injury could require physical therapy, medication, and surgery.
Severe head trauma can leave a patient with lasting emotional and cognitive challenges, such as:
- Memory problems
- Trouble concentrating
- Chronic headaches
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Sensory changes (vision issues or tinnitus)
Some people also develop post-concussion syndrome, where symptoms linger for months after the injury. Traumatic brain injuries can even cause permanent disability.
The Importance of Taking Head Injuries Seriously
Blunt-force head trauma can’t be taken lightly. Even a seemingly minor injury can lead to severe health problems and make it difficult for a person to go about their daily lives and work. When the accident is caused by someone’s negligence, holding the responsible party accountable can help cover your medical costs, lost wages, and other financial losses.
Contact the Louisiana Personal Injury Law Firm Of Kenny Habetz Injury Law for Help Today
If you’ve been injured in Louisiana, please call Kenny Habetz Injury Law for a free case evaluation with a Louisiana personal injury lawyer or contact us online. We have offices in Lafayette and Crowley, LA.
Kenny Habetz Injury Law – Lafayette
110 E Kaliste Saloom Rd Ste 101 Lafayette, LA 70508
(337) 399-9000
Kenny Habetz Injury Law – Crowley
604 S Parkerson Ave. Crowley, LA 70526
(337) 329-8883
