Subdural Hematoma

Subdural hematomas result from injuries occurring to the head. They can often be traumatic injuries and may result in long-lasting symptoms and require medical intervention to properly treat. If such an injury occurred to you after a car accident or due to an incident at work, you may be entitled to compensation to help pay for medical bills or make up for time missed from work. Contact a Massachusetts-based personal injury attorney at Altman & Altman LLP today to see what we can do for you.

Injuries occur every day, but sometimes they are preventable. In the instance that you were injured in an event that could have been prevented but wasn’t, either due to negligence on the part of your employer or by careless actions of somebody else who harmed you while in an automobile, you have certain rights and the opportunity to seek legal recourse to receive necessary financial recompense.

A subdural hematoma is a fancy name for what is essentially a bruising of the brain. Subdural hematomas occur after head injuries, and can be extremely painful and cause other symptoms, such as increasing confusion, dizziness, nausea, loss of appetite or muscle control, mood swings, numbness, blurred vision and worsening headaches the longer the hematoma goes undiagnosed.

It is a common misconception that subdural hematomas only occur after a physical hitting of the head. While this may be a common way for subdural hematomas to occur, such as after a car accident where the victim’s head is slammed into the dashboard or a roofer falls off a roof and hits their head on the ground, this is not the only way for them to occur.

Subdural hematomas can also occur even if there is no physical hitting of the head. The brain, despite most people thinking of it as secured in place by the skull, is actually somewhat free to move around inside of the cranium. When a collision occurs, such as in a car collision, the physical forces involved with suddenly stopping from a rapid pace means the brain continues to move forward inside the skull, bouncing off the bone and possibly causing concussions or subdural hematomas as well.

Once diagnosed with a subdural hematoma, treatment varies widely based on its severity. Some hematomas can cure entirely on their own, but under the watchful eye of doctors to ensure symptoms do not degrade. More severe hematomas require medical intervention to heal, such as by drilling a hole in the cranium to remove the hematoma or by surgically opening the skull to accomplish the same goal.

In all cases, subdural hematomas will require the victim to be immobilized and focus on their recovery for some period of time. For those who have to rely on sick or personal time to get time off work, this can result in serious anxiety about paying bills or potentially being laid off.

As is the case with injuries which occur while on the job, you are entitled to certain benefits in Massachusetts to ensure you can collect money while recovering without worrying about being laid off or fired for being injured. Workers’ compensation is a guaranteed right for those who are injured while on the job, and you may also qualify for short term or long-term disability depending on the severity and debilitating nature of your injury.

After an injury it can be confusing and frustrating trying to deal with insurance companies and your employer, who may not be willing to admit that the incident happened at work or that it qualifies for benefits guaranteed to you. In such cases, having an experienced personal injury attorney in your corner is essential to ensuring you get exactly what you are legally guaranteed to receive.

At Altman & Altman LLP, we have over 50 years of experience fighting on behalf of our clients all over the Boston area and elsewhere in Massachusetts. Call us for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.