Sports and brain injury lawyer Doug Landau is asked how can there be a brain injury after a crash if a helmut was worn and there was no blood or skull fracture.  The “TriathlonTrialLawyer” advises that this can be due to what is known as “coup/contracoup” and subdural hematoma.

Contracoup Brain Injury: A specific area of brain injury located directly opposite to the site of impact to the head that results from linear violent collisions of the brain with the skull.  In other words, the brain, surrounded by fluid, moves through the fluid and strikes the inside surface of the hard, unyielding skull.  Brain injury lawyer Doug Landau points out that this “internal impact” can cause a “bruise” or hematoma on the surface of the brain.  Experienced cyclist and sports injury trial lawyer Landau adds that this “inside impact” can then lead to swelling and other symptoms.  The brain can swell, but the skull in adults, does not get bigger after a bike crash or car accident.  Landau and the trial team at Abrams Landau have seen examples where the brain swelling in this fixed, finite space, can lead to headaches and more serious consequences after a seemingly innocuous head injury.