Just like any other bone in your body, your skull can suffer from various kinds of fractures. However, if you have suffered enough force to fracture your skull, you may also have sustained damage to your brain. Unfortunately, if left untreated, this damage can become permanent. There are several different types of skull fractures, all of which can signify trauma to your brain, which can lead to permanent injury or disability.
First, your brain can be injured even if the skull is not penetrated or does not actually fracture. The force of you slamming your head on something may cause a skull fracture, but it can also cause the brain to jostle around inside the skull. The vulnerable brain can bounce around inside of the skull, leading to bruising and bleeding. Intracranial bleeding and swelling can cause pressure to build up inside the skull, leading to serious injuries that arise from crushed brain tissue. If this pressure is not treated, it can cause the brain tissue to die.
Sometimes, the severity of a skull fracture can determine the risk of brain damage. Skull fractures are characterized based on the shape, location, and pattern of the break. The main types of skull fractures include:
Of these, depressed and basilar fractures are more likely to indicate brain trauma as well. This is because depressed fractures can have loose bone pieces tear into the brain, and basilar fractures can cause fluid leakage that may damage the delicate brain tissue.
Millions of people suffer from traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures every year. Skull fractures and brain injuries can result from numerous kinds of accidents from work-related injuries, such as elevated falls or blunt force trauma from heavy machinery, to motor vehicle accidents, to playing sports, and even slip and falls. If you or someone you know has sustained a skull fracture as a result of another person's actions, a brain injury lawyer may be able to help you.
First, your brain can be injured even if the skull is not penetrated or does not actually fracture. The force of you slamming your head on something may cause a skull fracture, but it can also cause the brain to jostle around inside the skull. The vulnerable brain can bounce around inside of the skull, leading to bruising and bleeding. Intracranial bleeding and swelling can cause pressure to build up inside the skull, leading to serious injuries that arise from crushed brain tissue. If this pressure is not treated, it can cause the brain tissue to die.
Sometimes, the severity of a skull fracture can determine the risk of brain damage. Skull fractures are characterized based on the shape, location, and pattern of the break. The main types of skull fractures include:
- Linear - also called simple fractures, these occur when blunt force trauma, such as falling out of your chair, causes a small, line-shaped crack in the skull
- Depressed - depressed or comminuted fractures happen when something pushes into the bone, causing many tiny pieces to depress into the skull
- Basilar - also known as a basal break, this fracture is located along the base of the skull and can tear the fluid-containing membrane around the brain
Of these, depressed and basilar fractures are more likely to indicate brain trauma as well. This is because depressed fractures can have loose bone pieces tear into the brain, and basilar fractures can cause fluid leakage that may damage the delicate brain tissue.
Millions of people suffer from traumatic brain injuries and skull fractures every year. Skull fractures and brain injuries can result from numerous kinds of accidents from work-related injuries, such as elevated falls or blunt force trauma from heavy machinery, to motor vehicle accidents, to playing sports, and even slip and falls. If you or someone you know has sustained a skull fracture as a result of another person's actions, a brain injury lawyer may be able to help you.