What is a Coup Contrecoup Brain Injury?

Coup Contrecoup Brain Injury

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

April 25, 2023

WHAT IS A COUP CONTRECOUP INJURY, AND HOW DOES IT HAPPEN?

The terms coup and contrecoup (pronounced coo and contra coo) relate to a form of traumatic brain  injury (TBI) and refer to the location of the damage about the point of impact. Coup damage is a kind of  brain injury that occurs right beneath the site of contact. Contrecoup damage happens on the brain’s  opposite side from where the impact occurred. Coup and contrecoup injuries are both types of traumatic brain injuries that cause brain bruising.

The majority of brain injuries are caused by an external force, which means that something comes into  contact with the head. Three sorts of impacts and injuries occur from them:

coup \s contrecoup \s coup-contrecoup.

[Coo contra com, contrecoup, coo injury, coop injury, contra coup, contra com, control, contractor brain  damage]

It’s vital to keep in mind that these are non-penetrating injuries. A fall, blunt force trauma, a sports injury, or the force involved with a car or motorcycle collision are the most prevalent causes of coup  and contrecoup injuries.

Before we get into the differences between this three terminology, it’s a good idea to brush up on some  of the more popular TBI terms.

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WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONTRECOUP AND COUP INJURIES?

COUP – (pronounced coo) is a kind of brain injury that occurs right below the point of contact. Surface  bruises, cuts, contusions, and other markings might aid in locating the source.

Bruising, swelling, and  brain hemorrhage are all trauma symptoms, which may vary from moderate to severe.

CONTRECOUP – (pronounced “contra coo”) injuries affect the side of the brain on the opposing side of the  hit. Because of their position, they are often missed or misdiagnosed. Contrecoup happens when the  brain strikes the side of the skull opposite the point of contact due to a force or blow.

Motor car  rollover accidents and motorcycle collisions are common causes of these injuries. They offer long-term  hazards to victims if they are not discovered.

COUP-CONTRECOUP – the most severe damage involving both sides of the brain. When the brain impacts the skull, it causes injury to the side that takes the brunt of the blow and the opposing side. When coup-contrecoup injuries are misdiagnosed, one region is addressed while the other is ignored. With coup-  contrecoup injuries, the chance of permanent brain damage is relatively high.

The arrow denotes the place of impact, whereas the red circle denotes the location of injury. A HEAD BLOW SHOULD NEVER BE IGNORED

Any sort of traumatic brain injury is dangerous. Hundreds of symptoms and combinations of symptoms may be present at the moment of the damage or may not appear for days or even weeks after that. If  you get a hit to the head that isn’t simply a bump, don’t try to shake it off and play or work your way  through it.

If you neglect a significant injury, you run the danger of irreversible injury. Ignoring a moderate concussion might be dangerous if another damage to the exact location happens before it heals.

If the pain lasts more than a few minutes, or if you have nausea, vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, slurred speech, disorientation, or any other unusual sensation, get medical help right once.

MINUTES MATTER, JUST AS THEY DO WITH A STROKE.

Coup-contrecoup injuries are significant, and they should be recognized and treated very once. Head  injuries may potentially result in skull fragments entering the brain tissue or harmful pressure on the  brain. Hematomas (brain bleeding), brain swelling, and issues with the flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which surrounds and protects the brain, may result from these injuries.

COUP AND CONTRECOUP INJURY’S CONSEQUENCES

Coup-contrecoup injuries are most prevalent below the forehead in the frontal lobe and beneath the  temples in the temporal lobe. Decision-making, speaking, and language understanding  may all be  affected by these impairments. A traumatic brain injury sufferer may                  also have poor focus, memory loss, difficulty swallowing, loss of balance and coordination, muscular weakness, paralysis, and sensory alterations, depending on the severity of the damage.

ECONOMIC COSTS OF A BRAIN INJURY

The consequences of a coup-contrecoup injury may be severe, reducing a person’s quality of life dramatically. This is particularly relevant given that many coup-contrecoup injuries may have long-term consequences that can impair a person’s life. Any kind of brain impairment causes some of the most  severe economic losses.

Because of the long-term disabling consequences of coup-contrecoup injuries,  which need medicine and rehabilitation, medical costs are high. Because of the impairments that a coup- contrecoup injury may create, careers are sometimes destroyed, and earning potential is squandered.

NON-ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES OF A BRAIN INJURY

It’s difficult to deal with the brain damage and incapacity caused by a traumatic brain injury like a coup contrecoup accident. The emotional suffering caused by these traumas may have a significant impact on a person’s mental health, as well as their relationships, social lives, and overall pleasure of life.

Non-economic losses are also possible as a result of a coup-contrecoup injury. When coup- contrecoup injury  is caused by the negligent conduct of a responsible person, all of these damages ought to be compensated.

CONCUSSION CONTRECOUP

The skull and accompanying spinal fluid protects the human brain, which is formed of soft tissue. These structures protect the sensitive organ. When a person is hit in the head or has their head is thrown  forward, such as in a car accident, the brain might move about.

The brain may smash forward into  the skull if the blow is strong enough, and if the momentum continues, it can slam back into the  opposite side of the skull. Consider it like water swirling about in a bucket. When it strikes the bucket’s  side, the momentum propels it back in the other direction.

CONCUSSION INJURIES ARE HIGHLY LINKED TO COUP AND CONTRECOUP INJURIES.

Concussions are often classified as mild traumatic brain injuries. However, this just implies they aren’t life-threatening. This isn’t to say that they aren’t unpleasant or disruptive to one’s life. Your brain does not operate correctly after a concussion. This may result in visual loss, nausea, dizziness, disorientation,  and unconsciousness.

Concussions are highly linked to coup contrecoup injury since they are defined as a bruised or injured  brain.

COUP, CONTRECOUP, AND COUP-CONTRECOUP INJURIES TREATMENT

Because the injuries are frequently irreparable, treating the injury caused by a major coup, contrecoup, or coup-contrecoup type injury is a struggle of time and prevention. This implies that physicians and  surgeons will need to address the injuries as soon as possible to avoid additional injury or damage.

Depending on the circumstances, doctors may treat the damage with easy healing measures such as  rest, use drugs to lessen symptoms, or even conduct neurosurgery to minimize brain swelling or  bleeding.

THE COST OF A TBI OVER TIME

A traumatic brain injury may be physically, intellectually, emotionally, and financially devastating. A TBI may cost millions of dollars in lost income over the course of a person’s life. A lifetime of managing with a permanent impairment, rehabilitation, re-learning, career re-training, and reliance on others may be required. In addition, there may be years of agony and suffering, as well as a significantly reduced quality of life.

Those wounded by coup-contrecoup injuries caused by others’ carelessness are allowed to seek compensation because of this long-term and crippling damage. Personal injury claims may help you acquire the money you need to deal with the serious losses caused by coup- contrecoup and other forms  of brain injuries via settlements or court judgments.

Coup-contrecoup injuries may be caused by liable parties who may owe you compensation for their carelessness. Car accidents, trips, falls, and on-the-job  accidents are examples of liable parties who may owe you compensation for their negligence. Consider  contacting a personal injury lawyer about your situation and your legal alternatives.

SEEK THE ADVICE OF A KNOWLEDGEABLE COLORADO PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER.

Suppose you or a loved one has suffered catastrophic brain damage due to someone else’s carelessness or malice. In that case, you should contact a personal injury lawyer who specializes in brain injury cases.  An experienced brain injury lawyer understands the full cost of your injury throughout your life. Unlike  many “settlement mills,” the attorney will not entice you with a seemingly rich settlement.

Our brain injury attorneys Warrior Car Accident Lawyers, are ready to battle tooth  and nail to get you the money you deserve. Even if it means taking your side in a legal struggle, you owe  it to yourself to  contact Warrior Car Accident Lawyers, for a free consultation if you or  someone you care about has suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of someone else’s negligence.

Do not wait since evidence might be lost over time, and statutes of limitations may apply. Call us at  719- 300-1100 or send us an email using the form below

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