Tap to CallWhat Is a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury?
A coup-contrecoup injury, or strike-counterstrike injury, occurs when a blow to the head causes the brain to hit one side of the skull and then the other, causing matching injuries on each side of the brain and leading to long-term symptoms like memory problems, loss of emotional regulation, and even paralysis.
Since our founding in 1992, the personal injury attorneys of Lichtenstein Law Group have focused on helping clients in Roanoke and throughout Virginia who have suffered life-changing injuries such as traumatic brain injury due to the negligence of others. We believe it’s important to understand how medical professionals diagnose the injury, types of treatment, and your ability to recover compensation for the harm you have suffered.
What Is the Difference Between a Coup and a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury?
Coup is French for a hit or blow, while contrecoup means a counterstrike. With a coup injury, only one side of the brain suffers damage from the traumatic blow to the head. However, with a coup-contrecoup injury, the blow creates enough force that it causes the brain to bounce off one side of the skull and strike the other. Contusions, or bruises, develop on opposite sides of the brain at each point of impact.
What Accidents Can Cause a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury?
A coup-contrecoup injury occurs in many types of accidents. Some of the leading causes are:
- Car accidents – Car crashes are the third most common cause of TBIs broadly, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The force generated by a motor vehicle striking another object can violently jostle the brain, particularly when the moving head has a direct impact with an object like the dashboard, steering wheel, or windshield, or when the vehicle hits a stationary object such as a sign, guard rail, or tree.
- Truck accidents – The same physics that apply to car accidents are amplified when the vehicle involved weighs up to 80,000 pounds, or about 40 times the size of a large passenger vehicle. Many victims of these crashes suffer significant head trauma.
- Slip and fall accidents – According to the NINDS, falls are the single leading cause of traumatic brain injuries, especially among the very young and very old.
- Violent attacks – Acts of violence often involve a deliberate or incidental blow to the head, like assaults, shaken baby syndrome, and other acts of physical child abuse, which can damage brain tissue.
- Sports injuries – Impact sports like football and hockey put direct force on the head, while non-impact sports like skiing or cycling can result in fall-related head injuries and brain damage.
What Are Symptoms of Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injuries?
- Headaches
- Convulsions
- Blurred/double vision
- Ringing in the ears
- Pupil dilation
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of consciousness
- Confusion
- Changed sleeping patterns
- Irritability
- Mood swings and sudden outbursts
- Emotional dysregulation
If you notice that you or a loved one has any of these symptoms after a blow to the head or you or your loved one struggles with daily functioning, seek medical attention immediately. You should also consult a personal injury lawyer at Lichtenstein Law Group who has experience helping clients to seek full and fair compensation after they suffer such injuries through no fault of their own.
How Do Doctors Diagnose a Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injury?
Doctors employ a range of methods to determine if a patient has suffered a coup-contrecoup brain injury, from simple neurological exams to advanced diagnostic testing. Typically, diagnosis begins with a test of the patient’s motor and memory skills, coordination, balance, and ability to process speech.
Depending on the results of those tests, doctors may proceed to brain imaging to determine the extent and nature of the injury. A computed tomography (CT) scan could show the physical nature of the contusions associated with a coup-contrecoup injury, while magnetic resonance imagining (MRI) tests can show subtle changes in the brain’s operation.
What Are the Long-term Effects of a Coup-Contrecoup Injury?
Coup-contrecoup injuries can have serious long-term effects when they cause changes to the brain’s normal functioning, including the following:
- Headache
- Loss of vision
- Loss of hearing
- Paralysis
- Loss of sensation
- Confusion
- Memory loss
- Emotional outbursts
- Paranoia
- Anxiety
- Depression
Can Coup-Contrecoup Brain Injuries Be Treated?
The proper course of treatment for a coup-contrecoup injury depends on the extent of the damage and the parts of the brain affected, which medical professionals determine through testing and a MRI or CT scan. The types of treatment can include:
- Physical therapy to improve the patient’s balance or motor control
- Occupational therapy to help the patient adjust to new limitations
- Cognitive therapy to improve memory and problem-solving abilities
- Speech therapy to regain affected language skills
Can You Seek Compensation for Your Coup-Contrecoup Injuries
If you suffered a coup-contrecoup injury that someone else caused, you can demand compensation for your:
- Medical expenses, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity due to the injury
- Pain and suffering, including physical discomfort, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life
- Compensation for permanent disability, cognitive impairment, or long-term neurological damage
- The cost of a caretaker, in-home nursing assistance, or other necessary caregiving services
- Expenses for assistive devices, home modifications, and other accommodations required because of the injury
What If Someone Dies as a Result of their Coup-Contrecoup Injury?
When someone dies due to a coup-contrecoup injury caused by someone else’s negligence, that person’s surviving family members can seek accountability through a wrongful death claim. A wrongful death claim helps the family seek justice through compensation for:
- Medical expenses related to treating the deceased’s injury
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Loss of companionship, support, and guidance for survivors
- Loss of income that the deceased can no longer earn
How Can a Virginia Brain Injury Lawyer Help Me?
You should be focused on treating your injury, not pursuing a complex legal claim. Let our attorneys at Lichtenstein Law Group get to work for you by:
- Investigating the cause of your injuries and identifying who may be to blame for them
- Consulting highly knowledgeable medical professionals to understand the nature of your injuries and their long-term consequences
- Calculating the full value of your case so we know how much to demand on your behalf
- Preparing your case for trial so that we negotiate from strength while seeking a settlement
- Putting your case before a judge and jury if the other side refuses to make an offer that you are willing to accept
Lichtenstein Law Group would be honored if you trust us with your coup-contrecoup injury case. We have been standing up on behalf of injured Virginians for more than 30 years now, and we have nearly a century of combined legal experience to put to work on your behalf. We believe in providing personalized attention and delivering real results, which is why we will not charge you for our services unless and until we win your case.
Contact a Virginia Brain Injury Lawyer
Are you ready to put over 100 years of legal experience to work on your coup-contrecoup brain injury case? Contact Lichtenstein Law Group today for a free consultation with an experienced Virginia brain injury lawyer.
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