A brain aneurysm is a condition that can be fatal, but it can also exist for a significant amount of time without the person being aware of it. This occurs when there is excessive pressure in a certain part of a blood vessel, which causes a ballooning effect. This is often described as a “berry hanging on a stem”, where the stem is the blood vessel and the berry is the aneurysm.
The trouble with a brain aneurysm is that, should it rupture, it can have severe complications. Aneurysms are often fatal due to bleeding within the brain. In other cases, people will have severe symptoms and could suffer long-term brain damage.
If this happens after a car accident, the injured person may be wondering if it is the accident that caused the aneurysm. There are certainly many cases where aneurysms happen on their own, and they can be sudden and unexpected. But could they be caused by something like the trauma of a car crash?
A severe brain injury
Yes, a brain aneurysm could be caused by head trauma. This is not the singular cause, but it is something that medical professionals have identified. Someone who suffers a serious brain injury in a car accident may have symptoms directly because of that crash – and may be eligible for financial compensation.
This doesn’t necessarily mean that the car accident itself created the condition. The person may have been living with the swelling in their blood vessels for some time. But as long as the brain aneurysm doesn’t rupture, they don’t see any negative symptoms. It is the physical trauma of the crash that causes it to rupture.
Seeking compensation
Serious brain injuries can be life-changing, even for those who survive. Injured parties and family members need to be well aware of all the legal options at their disposal.