Craig D. Rosenbaum | May 8, 2026 | Personal Injury
Suffering a head injury in a car accident, fall, assault, or any other incident can be devastating. You can sustain damage to your brain that could leave you with ongoing medical issues and could prevent you from living your life as you used to.
There are two main types of head injuries: closed or open. The type that you suffer can have a serious impact on your prognosis. Take a closer look at the differences between a closed head injury and an open head injury, and what to do if you suffer one in New York.
What Is An Open Head Injury?
An open skull injury is one in which an object pierces through the skull and enters the brain. A bone fragment could cause the damage, or it could result from an external object, such as a bullet. While the injury often begins at the point of penetration, it can also lead to more widespread brain damage due to bleeding, swelling, or secondary complications.
If blood or fluid builds up in the skull, it can press down on the brain and cause potentially life-threatening symptoms. Even in open head injuries, dangerous pressure can still develop and may require emergency medical treatment.
Open head wounds do pose the risk of infections, however. All manner of debris and pathogens can find their way into the brain, putting you at risk. There is also the potential to experience life-threatening bleeding.
What Is A Closed Head Injury?
A closed head injury is one in which the skull is not breached. These typically occur as a result of an external force that causes the brain to shift or twist. Concussions are the mildest of these injuries, but serious ones like diffuse axonal injuries can result in extensive brain damage.
When looking at an open head injury versus a closed head injury, the latter doesn’t pose as high a risk of infection. It can, however, cause pressure that could require prompt medical interventions, like craniotomies.
Shared Symptoms And Consequences
Despite being two different types of injuries, they do tend to share symptoms. These include:
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Blurred vision
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
Both of these injury types can also have long-term consequences. For example, you can struggle with memory and concentration problems, and chemical changes in your brain could impact your personality and mood. Mobility issues could occur, too, with some people suffering paralysis from either one of these head injury types.
Can You File A Claim After A Head Injury In New York?
Whether you sustained a closed or open head injury in an accident in New York, you may be entitled to receive compensation. To do so, you’ll need to demonstrate that the other party behaved wrongfully or with negligence, directly causing your losses.
This will require gathering substantial evidence to show how the injury occurred. You can also expect to go up against insurance companies that will do everything they can to minimize your claim. That is why hiring an attorney to handle this process is so important.
Contact Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers For A Free Consultation With A Brooklyn Personal Injury Lawyer
Sustaining a head injury can mean facing weeks, months, or even years of medical care. For some people, it can even require learning to live with permanent brain damage.
If the incident that led to the injury occurred because of another party’s conduct, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation to help you recover your losses. A Brooklyn personal injury attorney can make this process easier so that you can focus on healing.
For more information, please contact Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free consultation. We have three convenient locations around Manhattan, NY, near you in New York City, The Bronx, and Brooklyn.
Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers – New York City Office
100 Wall St 24th Floor, New York, NY 10005
(212) 514-5007
Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers – Bronx Office
1578 Williamsbridge Rd suite 3b, Bronx, NY 10461
(212) 514-5007
(917) 905-2339
Rosenbaum Personal Injury Lawyers – Brooklyn Office
32 Court St #704, Brooklyn, NY 11201
(212) 514-5007
(917) 920-7332