Coup-Contrecoup Injuries are a type of brain injury resulting from strikes to the head
Traumatic brain injuries can happen because of various types of accidents. In 2014, there were 2.87 million hospital and emergency room visits because of a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries are caused by a forceful strike to the head and can also be caused by penetration to the skull. There are many different types of brain injuries. Some are mild, like a concussion, and others are more severe, like coup/contrecoup injuries.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injury
More serious brain injuries can cause damage to the brain that may not be repairable, causing issues with memory and other brain functions.
Coup Injury
A coup injury occurs when the brain is struck with great force, causing damage at the site of impact. These injuries can be relatively mild but also may be severe. Symptoms can include swelling or hemorrhaging of the brain. External damage, such as bruises, cuts, or contusions, can help to identify where the injury has occurred.
Contrecoup Injury
A contrecoup injury is the opposite of a coup injury, as the damaged portion of the brain occurs at the opposite side from where the head was struck. This is because when the head is struck, the brain can rebound and strike the opposing side of the skull, causing damage on the opposite side. These injuries are very common in motor vehicle and motorcycle crashes. With contrecoup injuries, it can be hard to pinpoint where the site of injury. As such, they’re often misdiagnosed or even overlooked completely.
Coup/Contrecoup Injury
Coup/contrecoup injuries are a combination of the two. These injuries occur when the brain hits the opposite side (from where the injury occurred) and then moves back and injures the side where it was struck. These injuries are often very severe, as half of the brain damage can be overlooked. Often, only the coup injury is diagnosed, while the contrecoup injury is overlooked.
Common misspellings include: coo injuries, coo contracoo, contracoup, coop injury, contracoop, contrecoo, contrecoop, contracoo injury
Causes of a Coup/Contrecoup Injury
Coup/Contrecoup injuries occur when the head is struck with great force. This can occur in many different types of accidents, such as motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall accidents, workplace injuries and nursing home or childcare abuse. Coup/contrecoup injuries don’t often occur because of medical malpractice. However, these injuries may be made worse if they are not properly and promptly diagnosed and treated.
Motor vehicle accidents, such as car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accidents are a common cause of traumatic brain injuries because of the back and forth motion getting hit by a car causes. This is especially true in car and truck accidents. Motorcycle and bicycle accidents can still cause traumatic brain injury, even if the victim is wearing a helmet.
Slips and falls are also a common cause of TBI, especially if the fall includes a strike to the head, such as hitting a counter or other surface. Workplace falls, like falls from great heights, have also been known to cause traumatic brain injuries.
If an injury is misdiagnosed, as contrecoup and coup/contrecoup injuries often are, your injury could worsen and lead to further complications. If this were to occur, you may be able to file a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital, emergency room, or doctor who misdiagnosed your injury.
How Can a Brain Injury Affect Your Life?
Severe brain injuries can cause permanent physical or mental disabilities, making it difficult to do certain tasks. Patients who recover may still experience long-term side effects and symptoms of their injury. Disabilities and motor deficits can include:
- Paralysis
- Problems walking, talking, or swallowing
- Issues carrying or moving items
- Vision issues
- Difficulty remembering or thinking
- Difficulty maintaining social relationship
- Loss of fine motor skills
- Muscle stiffness
After a brain injury, your life may greatly change. It may take some time to adjust to your post-injury life. But there are a lot of resources out there to help you along the way. With a solid support system and the compensation you receive from your case, some of the weight can be lifted off your shoulders.
Receiving Compensation for Your Injuries
After your injury, you may be stressed about the amount of medical debt that you’ve accumulated. An experienced attorney can help you recover damages associated with your case. These damages fall into two categories, economic and non-economic. Economic damages cover expenses like medical bills, lost wages, and anything else that has a direct monetary value associated with it. Non-economic damages cover pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of earning capacity, and any compensation for permanent injury or disfigurement.
Contact a Minnesota Traumatic Brain Injury Attorney
If you or someone you love has suffered a brain injury, please contact one of our talented attorneys here at Sand Law. We’re ready and willing to help you get the compensation and justice that you deserve for your case. For more information, please contact us online, using our chat box option, or by calling us at 651-291-7263.