According to information gathered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were over 69,000 traumatic brain injury (TBI) deaths in the United States in 2021. That breaks down to around 190 TBI-related deaths occurring every day. When diagnosing a TBI injury, doctors might classify it as a coup-contrecoup brain injury.
Understanding what is a coup-contrecoup type of injury can help you decide the best way to seek compensation if the injury was caused by a car accident.
Coup comes from the French word for “blow,” while contrecoup is French for “counterblow.” With a coup-contrecoup injury, you are dealing with two distinct impairments that might have been caused by a single accident.
How This Type of TBI Occurs
A coup-contrecoup happens when a blow to the skull is strong enough that it not only causes an injury at the point of impact but also a corresponding one on the opposite side as well.
Our brains are protected inside our skulls, floating in cerebrospinal fluid. That is enough to keep the brain safe from minor bumps and knocks. However, if there is enough force to slam the skull into a stationary object, it can create a coup-contrecoup injury.
Imagine a whiplash accident that thrusts the driver into the steering wheel. That impact causes the brain to move forward. That would be the coup. The body then rebounds backward, and the brain slams into the back of the skull. That would be the contrecoup. Now, you have to deal with both injury sites when you suffer a coup-contrecoup brain injury.
Symptoms Associated With Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injuries
Doctors have found that our brains are divided into different regions to control various functions. As explained by Johns Hopkins University, the brain is comprised of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, temporal lobe, and cerebellum. An injury to one region would be bad, but with two simultaneous injuries, adverse effects are compounded.
Here are some of the symptoms that can manifest with a coup-contrecoup injury:
- Memory loss
- Concentration problems
- Aphasia (language difficulties)
- Behavioral and personality changes
- Partial blindness
- Hearing loss
- Severe headache
- Seizures
- Dizziness
Treatment Options for These TBIs
A person who suffers a coup-contrecoup injury could face many months of intense therapies to help them manage or recover from their condition. Every individual is unique, and so are their treatment plans. There could be a combination of the following:
Physical Therapy
A coup-contrecoup injury can directly affect a person’s motor control skills. The targeted exercises performed through prescribed physical therapy can help the patient regain some of those skills.
Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy helps retrain individuals to develop new ways to carry out everyday tasks. This therapy can also help someone learn new skills they could use in a new employment role if the injury prevents them from returning to their previous job.
Speech Therapy
If your coup-contrecoup injury impacts the brain’s speech centers, it could result in slurred speech or an inability to communicate. With speech therapy, the patient can regain some of those language skills.
Cognitive Training
This treatment option, especially in the aftermath of a coup-contrecoup injury, can help a patient improve their memory and problem-solving skills. It can also help with focus.
Estimating the Damages
All of those therapy treatments cost money. Those costs would be part of the economic damages associated with a coup-contrecoup injury. Additionally, lost wages or future earnings could also be impacted by the injury.
On the noneconomic side, this injury can also manifest as recurring pain and a loss of the ability to perform tasks and activities before the accident. That would be part of a pain and suffering amount and added to the economic damages for a total compensation package.
Helping Make the Case
A coup-contrecoup brain injury is the kind of event that will impact the entire family. In addition to a car crash, this injury can also happen as the result of a dangerous premises incident like a slip and fall accident. No matter the scenario, it is important to talk to the Prochaska, Howell & Prochaska LLC team to find the best course of action for you and your loved one if one of you has suffered a serious injury such as this. We can provide you with the options to seek out a fair remedy. Call to set up a free consultation today.
