Brain Injury Lawyer
Basilar skull fractures are a type of serious head injury that involves a fracture of the bones at the base of the skull. These fractures typically occur due to significant trauma to the head and are often associated with high-impact accidents, such as car crashes, falls from heights, or severe blows to the head. Basilar skull fractures are a critical medical condition and require immediate medical attention and evaluation.
Here are some key points about basilar skull fractures and their associated trauma:
-
Location
The base of the skull is the lower part of the skull that rests on the neck and forms the floor of the cranial cavity. It consists of several bones, including the occipital bone, sphenoid bone, temporal bone, and ethmoid bone.
-
Mechanism of Injury
Basilar skull fractures usually result from significant head trauma with substantial force. Examples of such trauma include motor vehicle accidents, falls from heights, physical assaults, or sports injuries.
-
Signs and Symptoms
Patients with basilar skull fractures may experience various signs and symptoms, which can vary depending on the severity and location of the fracture. Common symptoms include:
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage: This may cause clear or bloody fluid to drain from the nose (CSF rhinorrhea) or the ears (CSF otorrhea).
- Battle’s sign: Bruising behind the ears due to blood collecting under the skin.
- Raccoon eyes: Bruising around the eyes caused by blood pooling in the soft tissues.
- Headache.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Altered level of consciousness.
- Hearing loss or disturbances.
- Difficulty moving facial muscles.
- Problems with vision.
- Neck pain and stiffness.
-
Diagnosis
Imaging studies, such as CT scans or MRI, are crucial for diagnosing basilar skull fractures and evaluating the extent of the injury.
-
Treatment
Basilar skull fractures are considered a medical emergency, and patients should seek immediate medical attention. Treatment may involve admission to the hospital for observation, management of intracranial pressure, and monitoring for potential complications, such as infection or brain swelling. In cases of CSF leakage, surgical repair may be necessary.
-
Complications
Basilar skull fractures can lead to several complications, including infection of the brain and its surrounding structures (meningitis), cranial nerve injuries, and damage to the blood vessels in the brain.
It is essential to remember that any head trauma, especially if associated with signs and symptoms mentioned above, should not be taken lightly. Seeking prompt medical attention is critical to ensuring appropriate evaluation, treatment, and management of any potential head injury, including basilar skull fractures. Seeking medical attention promptly after an auto accident will help to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment of any injuries. Medical attention should be with a qualified medical provider that knows how to care for you and who knows about insurance claims. Not all doctors want to get involved with insurance claims; and for those who do not, they can seriously damage your bodily injury claim. Our Charlotte, NC brain injury lawyer can help you find the right doctor for the type of injury you have sustained. Picking a doctor at random is a sure recipe for insurance claim issues.
Early detection and treatment intervention of an injury is critical to assure the best healing outcome. The medical/scientific literature is full of research on why this is so, but you must evaluate, treat and get proper legal representation. As a doctor who represents injured people, I know injuries. I’ve treated thousands of accident injuries, and now I represent them in the legal arena. I fight for you and never for insurance companies. Call us if you need our help. Our staff at Ted A. Greve & Associates, PA is highly trained to help you every step of the way. The call to and consultation with my office are free. Call 1-800-333-4333 24 hours a day so that we can help start you on the way to health, and insurance claim, recovery.
