When the walk sign lights up and you step off the curb to cross the crosswalk, you may assume that you are safe. However, many drivers of motor vehicles drive drowsy, distracted, or drunk and sometimes fail to see pedestrians – even in crosswalks.
When this occurs, pedestrians typically find themselves thrown against the hard structure of a car or the ground, which often results in head injuries for the pedestrian. Because their heads are exposed, without any protection, pedestrian head injuries are common and serious accident injuries.
Pedestrians are most commonly hit by cars from the front or the side. When a vehicle collides with a person from the side, the pedestrian generally is thrown to the ground. When a car hits a person from the front, the pedestrian typically hits the vehicle’s hood. In either event, pedestrians hit their heads and can suffer serious head injuries in a collision with a car.
Vehicles typically bear the brunt of an accident in motor vehicle accidents; however, in pedestrian accidents, a person’s head and body absorbs the impact of the crash. This is why many pedestrians suffer head injuries due to the lack of protection around them.
A head injury is any physical trauma that occurs to the head. Types of head injuries that have occurred in Atlanta pedestrian accidents include:
- Concussions
- Skull and scalp injuries
- Traumatic brain injury
- Facial fractures
- Dental injuries
- Eye injuries
- Broken noses
- Other facial injuries
- Other head trauma
A head injury may range from a mild headache to loss of memory or serious brain damage. Anytime a person’s head suffers a blow, it is cause for concern. Sometimes there is no way to tell if bleeding in the brain has occurred until medical care is sought. When a pedestrian is hit and has visible trauma to the face, is vomiting, has a headache, is dizzy, or has lost consciousness, the pedestrian could have suffered a head injury.
Head injuries can be life threatening, causing pedestrians to suffer permanent disabilities or fatal injuries. If you suffered a head injury in a Georgia pedestrian accident, or if you lost a family member due to a negligent driver, you need to callShane Smith Law.