Can Car Accidents Cause a Stroke?

Car accidents can cause a number of injuries ranging from head wounds to broken bones and bruises. Generally, car accident trauma is not linked to strokes because oftentimes the stroke does not occur right away. Due to this, strokes that happen weeks after a car accident are disregarded. However, research reported in Science Daily shows that car accident trauma can lead to a stroke.

“About 48 in 100,000 young adults and 11 of 100,000 children who had a head or neck injury had a stroke.”

Despite that, it is possible that if you visit a doctor right away, they may be able to prevent the stroke from happening at all.

The Barnes Firm Helping You Get Answers

What is a Stroke?

A stroke is an instant obtrusion of the blood supply that enters your brain. It can happen when blood vessels that transport nutrients and oxygen are blocked by blood clots. This causes brain cells to die within seconds of the interruption.

A stroke is a life or death emergency and needs emergency medical attention immediately. The faster you receive care, the higher chance you have of reducing permanent brain damage.

Signs of a Stroke

By recognizing the signs of a stroke, you can act quickly and get yourself or someone else on-the-spot assistance. Common sudden symptoms of a stroke that the CDC outlines include:

• Numbness
• Confusion
• Trouble seeing
• Trouble walking
• Severe headache

Prompt action can help those suffering from a stroke get the anti-clotting treatments they need to survive or simplify complications. The CDC recommends following the F.A.S.T test to point out the signs quickly:

• Face drooping
• Arm weakness
• Speech difficulty
• Time to call 9-1-1

Medical interventions work most effectively in the first 3 hours of noticeable indications of a stroke. By using the F.A.S.T method, stroke patients may be eligible to get the medical care they need sooner.

3 Causes of a Stroke After a Car Accident

There are three main causes of a stroke following a car accident. The most common injury that car accident victims face is whiplash. This is caused by a collision with another car that severely and suddenly jerks your head and neck forward, resulting in the shredding of smooth muscle tissues. When the lining of arteries in your neck tears, it creates a large pressure of pooling blood that eventually gets trapped and forms a clot.

Hemorrhagic strokes, on the other hand, can occur from less severe trauma. These types of strokes happen when blood from arteries seeps into the brain, usually a consequence of weakened blood vessels that rupture. These usually occur in people living with high blood pressure, but head injury from an automobile collision can also cause brain hemorrhaging and induces a stroke.

Depending on the type of collision that occurred, a disruption of blood supply could trigger a stroke. If a car accident prevents a victim from being able to receive ample oxygen to the brain, and if the person has an underlying health issue, the narrowing of the arteries could be so severe that the stroke arises immediately.

What to Do if You Experience a Stroke After a Car Accident?

The first and most important thing you should do if you suffer from a stroke after a car wreck is to consult with your doctor. Hopefully, you were able to get medical guidance right after the incident, but if not, as soon as you notice unusual symptoms, get help. This way, medical personnel can disperse the necessary treatments and provide a thorough examination and documentation to help you make your car accident claim.

Gather all important records from your accident. The files you collect should show all damages that happened as a result of the accident including but not limited to:

• Medical costs
• Lost income
• Pain
• Property damage

These are just a few of the many things that could help make your claim. You should also include future implications that could occur.

Speak to The Barnes Firm’s Car Accident Attorneys

Have you or a family member experienced a stroke after a car crash? If so, speak to our team of trusted car accident attorneys. The Barnes firm will go above and beyond in defending your car accident claim.

With decades of collective involvement helping clients with their personal injury claims, you can feel less worried knowing that we’ll fight to achieve the best result possible for you. Our lawyers are available 24/7 to review your case and get answers to all of your specific questions.

To schedule your free consultation, call the Barnes firm, or fill out our online contact form today.

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Richard Barnes – President of The Barnes Firm

“As President of The Barnes Firm, I have dedicated my career to achieving justice in hundreds of cases for the victims of injuries caused through the fault of others. Additionally, I have been honored to have been elected Best Lawyer and a Super Lawyer”

Years of Experience: 30+ years