Coup and contrecoup injury can occur even in a relatively minor accident. If the head snaps, front to back or side to side, the brain will slam and recoil against the skull. The majority of head trauma hospitalizations are car accident related and classified as minor injuries; that is, no or only momentary loss of consciousness, no major complications, and no intracranial surgery.
- is defined as bruising at both the impact site and the opposite side of the brain
- occurs when the force of the impact causes bruising at the impact site and further bruising on the opposite side of the skull
- can occur individually or together
- are considered a focal injury rather than a diffuse injury
Coup contrecoup is classified as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the United States, a traumatic brain injury occurs every 15 seconds and it is one of the leading causes of death for people under the age of 45. The long-term impact of a traumatic brain injury can range from full recovery to a life time of disability. A study by Rebecca Rimel, published by Neurosurgery, addressed disability issues associated with minor head injury. For the parameters of the study, minor head injury was defined as 20 minutes or less of unconsciousness, a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13-15, and less than 48 hours of hospitalization. The statistics from the study are dramatic.
424 patients who sustained minor head trauma were evaluated 3 months after injury in the following areas:
- history of events since the accident
- assessment of subjective complaints
- objective measures such as employment status
- a neurological exam
- a psychosocial assessment designed for estimating life stress
- a neuropsychological test battery to measure higher cortical function
Of these 424 patients, 79% complained of persistent headaches, and 59% described problems with memory. Of the patients who had been gainfully employed before the accident, 34% were unemployed 3 months later. The most striking observation is the high rate of unemployment in patients 3 months after a seemingly insignificant head injury and the evidence that many of these patients may have, in fact, suffered organic brain damage. (Neurosurgery 9:221-228, 1981)
This study again shows that there is no such thing as a mild brain injury. When a person sustains a brain injury in a car accident, truck accident, motorcycle accident, bicycle accident, or pedestrian accident; their life is forever changed.
There is no way to put a price tag on a coup contrecoup injury. How do you assess value to change in personality, change in ability to concentrate, loss of drive, and permanent disability? It is disheartening to have an injury that total changes your life — and then have people label it as mild or negligible.
If your coup contrecoup injury is the result of an accident, that was not your fault, you do have legal recourse. Our Minnesota Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyers are experts in the area of coup contrecoup TBIs. We will fight for a generous and fair settlement for your injuries. Call 612-362-0000. See our video center for more information on traumatic brain injuries.
Driving while texting (DWT) is dangerous. It is the new DWI / DUI. DWT is a hot topic — made even hotter now that Oprah has gotten on the bandwagon by encouraging people to make a pledge to not text or even use a cell phone while driving. 
Do you need assistance with your 
General Motors issued a recall December 18, 2009 on 2010 models of Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles for failing to comply with the federal safety requirements that deal with the windshield defrosting and defogging systems and the controls and displays systems. The software is defective and may lead to the heating, A/C, defrost, radio controls, and panel illumination to become inoperative. Driving without a functioning defrost system can reduce visibility and lead to a car accident. This recall involves more than 59,000 vehicles.
Volkswagen issued a recall December 14, 2009 on the 2009 Audi Q5 manufactured between November 25, 2008 and June 4, 2009. A piece of pillar trim may not have been manufactured correctly, allowing the trim to become loose when the sideguard head protection airbags deploy in a crash. If the trim dislodges when the airbag deploys, it could injure the front seat occupants. This recall involves more than 6,000 vehicles.
Volvo issued a recall December 17, 2009 on certain models of Volvos equipped with a defective fuel pump flange. If the flange cracks, it could lead to a fuel leak and be a fire hazard. The recall is for vehicles sold or registered in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and the United States Territories. The hot climate and temperature cycling over time, have resulted in cracked flanges. This recall involves more than 130,000 vehicles.
No fault insurance coverage pays for medical bills (up to the limits provided), replacement services, lost wages, retraining, and funeral expenses. You are covered whether you were at fault or not. You are covered by 
Whiplash is an acceleration-deceleration neck injury most frequently incurred in a motor vehicle accident. It involves soft tissue injury and sometimes bone structure damage. The soft tissue includes ligaments, tendons, muscles, and nerves. Soft tissue injuries are seldom revealed through x-rays. An MRI is more effective for diagnosing these injuries and any instability in the neck and spine; but due to the expense, an MRI may not be requested by your doctor or authorized by your insurance company.
If your car was hit by a semi truck, you may be in for the fight of your life. In a semi accident, there can be many levels of negligence, liability, and responsibility — many levels of fault. The following parties may be involved in the transporting of goods by one semi truck; therefore, potentially liable for your injuries:
It does not take much to cause a brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries can occur in relatively minor accidents — a collision involving speeds of only 15 miles per hour can exert forces 10 times that of gravity on the skull and brain. 