Therefore, many adult cyclists ride bicycles along the roadways and highways without a helmet.
A bike rider may incur a head injury from a car collision and the subsequent act of hitting the ground. This means someone riding a bicycle will have two opportunities to receive a head injury in a car accident.
Head fractures and brain bleeds are common injuries after a bicycle versus car collision. However, a head injury may not always be apparent right after the collisions. That is why emergency personnel and emergency room doctors will perform a series of test to determine your level of consciousness if you complained of any head pains.
What is the Glasgow Coma Scale?
The Glasgow Coma Scale is a series of three objective tests on your eyes, verbal skills, and motor functions.
The eye test is graded on a 1 to 4. A one is given if the eyes do not open and a four with eyes that open spontaneously.
The verbal test is graded between a 1, making no sounds at all, and 5, making normal and oriented conversation.
The final test is motor functions. This test goes from 1 to 6 with higher numbers meaning greater command of body movements.
Each one of the tests is added together and the final scale is between 3 and 15. The higher the sum total, the greater consciousness of the person.
If the Glasgow Coma Scale shows a level of deficiency, the next step is to present to a specialist like a neurologist. A neurologist is a doctor who specializes in the brain. The neurologist may refer you to take an MRI of the brain to get a better view of the injury.
Symptoms of a Head Injury
Many times with a head injury, your behavior will change. There may be a sensitivity to light and sound, your emotions may be more volatile like you get angry and sad quickly, and social outings become less frequent. Therefore a neurophysiologist and neuropsychiatrist may be needed to determine your levels of memory, concentration, behavior, and problem-solving.
A head injury may cause significant changes to you and how you live in the real world. If this is the case, a life care planner may be needed to price out all of the various medical procedures and daily living expenses that will be needed in your future. This information will help assist in providing the negligent party the proper insight into your near and far future costs.