prevent “Coup Contrecoup” injuries as “the neck is the delivery system.” Herndon head trauma lawyer Doug Landau analogizes the anatomy of the skull and the cervical spine to “a bowling ball on a thick rope” with the head and brain having the weight ratio of the ball and the thick rope approximating the movement of the un-flexed neck musculature.

“When there is a sudden acceleration-deceleration event, such as when an athlete’s head hits the artificial turf, or when a motorist’s skull is thrown suddenly back and forth, the energy is transmitted up through the less massive neck tendons, ligaments and connective tissues and the brain hits the interior of the skull. While this ‘whip-saw’ motion can result in neck soreness, it is the insult to the brain that causes our disabled clients’ symptoms and inability to return to work.”

This impact, of brain matter against the hard interior of the human skull bones, can result in long-term disability and cognition issues. Plus, adds lawyer Landau, the bleeding, swelling and or biochemical changes are often not “seen” on x-rays, CT scans or MRI imaging studies. “The brain, bathed in liquid, is simply not as dense as the bones of the cranium, and if something is going to give, it will be the brain and not the skull,” adds Landau when explaining brain bruising during his lectures and presentations at local elementary schools and national lawyer conventions. If you or someone you know or care for has been injured as the result of a car, truck, bicycle or motorcycle crash and there are questions about what laws apply, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once.