Head injuries can include both closed head injuries where there is blunt force trauma to the head and no splitting of the skull, or penetrating injuries where there is penetration of the skull by bone fragments.  A penetrating head injury can also lead to foreign matter entering the skull, causing an infection.  Head injuries may or may not result in brain injuries.

Causes of Head Injuries

Head injuries may result from a fall, or from being struck by a heavy object or load in the workplace.  When a worker is trapped in a collapsed mine, under falling debris, or slips through scaffolding, the impact of the accident can cause head injuries which may vary in severity. 

Head injures may be caused not just by the direct physical impact of heavy force on the head, but also due to secondary factors that are set off after the accident, like swelling in the skull, interruption of blood circulation and damage to the nerve fibers in the skull.  Both primary and secondary injuries can have long term and devastating effects on a person's health.

Effects of Head Injuries

Skull Fracture

A skull fracture may be visible in the form of bleeding, swelling and bruising near the area, or may not be visible at all.  A skull fracture denotes a significant head injury that may lead to brain injury.

Intracranial Hemorrhage

There may be bleeding inside the skull, or the formation of blood clots that can further damage the brain.

Cerebral Contusion

A cerebral contusion injury may cause slight damage to the brain, manifested in memory and attention problems.

Concussion

A concussion can cause a temporary lack of awareness, disorientation, confusion and lack of memory that can last for a few minutes or a few hours after the head injury.

Not all head injuries result in brain injuries, but brain injuries are almost always caused when significant pressure or force is applied to the head. The level and intensity of the brain injury may vary depending on the severity of the head injury.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injuries are commonly seen as a result of falls from high points, or after being struck on the head by a heavy object.  With mild forms, the victim may experience increased sensitivity to noise and light, depression, memory loss, and attention deficit problems. Moderate traumatic brain injury can cause motor and cognitive impairment that requires extensive therapy and rehabilitation to treat. In severe traumatic brain injury, the victim remains in a vegetative state, coma, or a minimally responsive state. A victim of a severe traumatic brain injury may require round-the-clock care for the rest of their life, perhaps in an institutional setting.