After a truck or car crashes into a runner or cyclist may hit the ground and hit their head on the pavement. When initially examined by emergency personnel, they often seem relatively intact. There may be cuts to the head but they may not appear “serious.” Often E.R. doctors conclude the athlete was not seriously injured and assure the patient will be fine. But within the next 24 hours, the injured athlete can woke up vomiting blood. Standing up causes dizziness and nausea. Doctors may then discover fractures in the cyclist’s or runner’s skull and jaw, and damage to the nerves in the ear. Herndon Reston area bicycle injury lawyer Doug Landau is aware of cases where the injured victim has been transferred to the Intensive Care Unit, where they stayed for days under close observation in the neurology ward.

Although many young athletes do recover from car and truck crash injuries, an the cuts and “road rash” heals, they are often left with a Traumatic Brain Injury (“TBI”). Landau points out that there are long-term effects. Athletes with TBI may experience cognitive defects including difficulties with attention and memory, confusion, sleep disorder, emotional disorders, speech and language problems, and sensory and perceptual problems. They also might experience physical problems such as chronic pain and seizures. TBI also can increase the risk of developing conditions like Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and other brain disorders that can become more prevalent with age. If you or an athlete you know has been in a crash and suffered a head injury or brain trauma, contact us at 703-796-9555.