Warning Signs that Your Offshore Gulf Coast Head Injury May Be Serious

Of all work-related injuries, head injuries are the scariest. One minute you are working at your job and the next you are being rushed to the doctor or hospital. Or maybe you just suffered a bump and went on with your day, then realized that it might be something more serious than you had thought.

Each year there are almost 250,000 people admitted to the hospital with head injuries in the US. A staggering 50,000 deaths occur and the majority of these injuries are caused by accidents. Unfortunately, many head accidents become more serious because the injured person just doesn't know whether to seek medical help.

Often the injured person is lacking objective judgment following an accident. He or she can be confused or even suffer amnesia. Sometimes even family members do not know when to get help. Generally, it is recommended to seek medical care if the injured person is not acting normally.

In a February 2009 New Orleans study, the Annals of Emergency Medicine offered these seven head injury symptoms to help decide whether to run a CT scan:

Headache
Vomiting
Short term memory loss
Alcohol intoxication
Seizure
Physical evidence of head or neck trauma
Age over 70

It is extremely important to have most head injuries checked out. What may at first seem to be a minor problem can escalate. For example, an epidural hematoma is one of the most serious head injuries. A blow to the head can cause bleeding between the dura matter (a layer of tissue lying between the brain and skull) and the bone of the skull.

Some say that up to 40% of epidural hematoma cases can result in death. Yet the symptoms, following an interval of lucid behavior, occur only later, if at all. This emphasizes the importance of getting checked out sooner rather than later. Only a CT scan can detect this and other types of brain injury.

If you or someone you love has suffered a head injury in an offshore Gulf Coast accident, it is important that you seek medical help. The maritime injury attorneys at The Young Firm specialize in maritime accidents and Jones Act law. If you have questions about your injury, call toll free immediately at (866) 938-6113. You may also be interested in a free copy of our "Employees Guide to Maritime Injury Law." Just follow the links provided on our home page.