Skip to content
Many accidents in West Palm Beach can lead to skull fractures, and negligence is often involved. If you have suffered a skull fracture in an accident due to someone else’s carelessness or malice, you can connect with a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath to help you understand what your next steps may look like.
How do car accidents lead to skull fractures?
Car accidents are a common cause of skull fractures because of the force involved in a collision. The impact may throw your head into the window, frame, or steering wheel with enough force to cause a fracture, even with a seatbelt. However, if you are thrown from the vehicle, the risk of a skull fracture is higher.
Why do falls often result in skull fractures?
Falls can often result in skull fractures for several reasons. The first is that older and younger individuals are more likely to fall. In children, their skull may not be completely formed, or it may still be thinner than the fully developed bone. Similarly, older populations may be losing bone density, which can make fractures more likely from falls and head injuries.
When someone falls from a taller height, like a ladder or scaffolding, they may hit the ground with more force than the skull can withstand. And depending on how you land, the neck and skull will absorb most of the impact, further increasing the risk.
How do pedestrian and bicycle accidents cause serious head injuries?
Pedestrian and bicycle accidents can be especially dangerous when it comes to head injuries. Unlike a vehicle, you lack the protection of a vehicle frame, seatbelts, and airbags in a collision. If you are hit by a vehicle when walking or cycling, there’s a high risk of hitting your head on the ground.
As a cyclist, Florida helmet laws require you to wear a helmet only if you are under the age of 16. However, this can provide significant protection for your skull in an accident.
What makes skull fractures especially dangerous?
One of the biggest concerns regarding a skull fracture isn’t necessarily the fracture itself, but the force exerted that may have also caused an injury to the brain. The amount of force required to fracture the skull is likely to cause concussions or other forms of traumatic brain injury (TBI) that can have lasting consequences. Other significant concerns in a skull fracture include:
- Intracranial Hemorrhage from torn or damaged blood vessels caused by the fracture
- Brain compression caused by the broken piece of bone pressing on or penetrating the brain tissue
- Infection in compound fractures that have open wounds
- Cerebrospinal fluid leaks if the fracture is at the base of the skull
Any type of skull fracture can have life-changing and potentially fatal consequences. Any concerns of this type of injury should be immediately evaluated by a medical professional.
How is liability determined in skull fracture injury cases?
Determining liability in a skull fracture case means figuring out who is responsible. A brain injury lawyer typically needs to show negligence by providing evidence of the following:
- Duty of care: the person was responsible for taking action to protect you from the injury
- Breach of duty: the person or entity failed to take the obligatory precautions
- Cause: the breach of duty directly caused your accident
- Damages: the accident caused a skull fracture or traumatic brain injury
In most cases, your attorney will likely investigate the case by reviewing your medical records, photos of the area, speaking with eyewitnesses, or hiring expert witnesses.
What compensation may be available for skull fracture injuries?
The compensation available in a skull fracture case is heavily dependent on the situation, the extent of your injuries, the long-term impact on your daily life, and the strength of your case. Some of the more common damages brain injury victims may claim include:
- Medical costs (current and future)
- Property damage
- Lost wages
- Loss of earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
Sustaining a traumatic brain injury is not a small thing. You may suffer from memory loss, physical and emotional deficits, and require ongoing therapies or support for the rest of your life. In some cases, where the injury was the result of extreme negligence or malice, you may also receive punitive damages.
Get help after a serious head injury in West Palm Beach
If you’ve sustained a head injury in West Palm Beach, you should not have to face the situation alone. Call an experienced West Palm Beach brain injury lawyer with Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath to get the support you need to recover the compensation you deserve.
You can contact us online or call us at (561) 655-1990 or online to schedule a free case consultation and learn more about your options to recover compensation after your skull fracture or brain injury.