A head injury is any damage to the scalp, skull or brain.  The damage can range in severity from the most minor bump to an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI).  Head injury can be either closed or penetrating.  A closed head injury means the skull or head received a hard blow from a striking object such as a fist but the skull was not fractured.  A penetrating head injury arises when the skull is fractured after being hit, for example being in a road traffic collision where a person is propelled through the windscreen after a serious impact.  Depending on the severity of the head injury it can have a significant impact on a person’s life and functioning.

Head injuries can include the following:-

• Concussion – arises when the brain is caused to move suddenly back and forth, usually as a consequence of a blow or a jolt such as might arise in a car collision
• Scalp wounds – these are essentially lacerations or cuts on the head following a wound by a sharp object such as broken glass
• Skull fractures – these are quite serious head injuries and include any break in the skull. There are many types of skull fractures including closed fracture, open fracture, depressed fracture, basal fracture and the type will depend on the force of the blow and the location on the skull as well as the shape of the object making impact

Head injuries may cause bleeding in the brain tissue.  This is known as an intracranial haematoma, which is a collection of blood within the skull caused when blood vessels rupture, usually from a significant trauma such as being struck by a car or suffering a fall from a height.  There are other areas within the brain that may suffer bleeding, for example subdural haematoma or extradural haematoma.

Irish Statistics about Brain Injury

It is estimated that somewhere between 9,000 and 11,000 people in Ireland suffer a traumatic brain injury each year.  Men are three times more likely to be injured than women, one in six patients are aged between 16 and 24.  Falls are responsible for three out of every five traumatic brain injuries.  Trauma is the fourth most frequent cause of overall death in this country and is a leading cause of death in the Irish population under the age of 45 years.  Head trauma accounts for the majority of trauma deaths, and for every traumatic brain injury death at least two other people survive with permanent disability.  Thankfully the majority of traumatic brain injuries are classified as minor, approximately 10% as moderate and 5% as severe.

Causes of Head Injury

The most common causes can include accidents in the home, in the workplace, outdoors or while playing sports.  Falls also feature predominantly as well as head injuries suffered in road traffic collisions and also being victim to assault.

Our personal injury compensation claims solicitors

If you or a loved one have suffered a head injury that was not your fault, then you may be able to make a claim for compensation. It is important you seek advice as soon as possible to protect your legal rights. We believe in putting you our client first and we are committed to achieving the best result possible while all the time remaining sensitive to your needs. Please feel free to reach out to us below and will be pleased to discuss your case and offer no obligation advice.

To contact one of our personal injury solicitors please call 0818 888 555 or WhatsApp/call 087 398 7386 or complete our online enquiry form