Warner Robins Boy on Bike Suffers Head Injury When Hit By Car

A 10-year-old Warner Robins boy was hospitalized after being hit by a car on Saturday night, May 1, 2021. He was riding his bicycle on Sonja Drive while the sun was still out around 7:30pm, when a Honda Accord struck him. The driver was going west toward Belmont Drive.

According to a Facebook post by Police Chief John Wagner, the boy was transferred to Scottish Rite Hospital in Atlanta. He remains in critical condition, and no charges have been filed. The police department is still investigating the accident.

The boy apparently suffered severe head trauma.

Common head injuries

Head injuries can be particularly detrimental to teens and children depending on the extent, as well as adults. Pedestrian accidents involving pedestrians on bicycles often lead to one or more of the following head injuries:

Concussion

This type of head of injury can cause the brain to stop working at normal capacity for a short time. It may result in a loss of awareness or alertness for a few minutes to a few hours. These injuries can be dangerous because the severity isn’t seen on the surface.

Sometimes, concussions are so mild there are no visible side effects. You may not know right away that you or your child has a concussion. Other times, these injuries may be so severe that they can cause permanent damage and extensive treatment.

Contusions

Imagine getting a bruise on your brain instead of your skin. This type of injury is called a contusion, and it causes the brain to swell and bleed around the area where the head was struck. In some cases, the brain hits the other side of the head so hard it starts to bruise.

If a car hits a pedestrian or bicyclists, it can jar the brain hard enough that the internal lining, tissues, and blood vessels might tear.

Skull fracture

There are 4 major types of skull fractures that are common among children:

1. Linear skull fracture. When the bone breaks but the bone doesn’t move, this is considered a linear skull fracture. While this injury is severe, treatment isn’t usually needed. If a child has this type of injury, most hospitals will watch them closely for any negative signs. But children usually return to normal activities in a few days.
2. Depressed skull fracture. This type of injury often requires surgery. Part of the brain is sunken in around the area where the bone is broken with or without a cut in the scalp.
3. Diastatic skull fracture. This type of skull fracture is most often seen in newborns and infants. It occurs along suture lines, which are jagged lines between the skull bones that fuse together as the child grows. If these are fractured, then the suture lines are widened.
4. Basilar skull fracture. This is a serious type of injury that occurs when the bone at the base of the skull breaks. The most common symptoms to watch for include bruises around their eyes and behind their ear and clear fluid draining from their nose and ears.

Treatment options for head injuries

There are many options available to treat a head injury in a child, including but not limited to:

Though expensive, many of these treatments are necessary for a full recovery from a serious head injury.

Covering the cost of a traumatic brain injury can be steep

Not only is a severe head injury scary, especially when it’s your child, but it can also lead to serious long-term health issues. A child with a traumatic brain injury should receive medical attention right away, especially after a car accident.

After a visit to the emergency room, the next person you should call is a Georgia accident attorney. At the law firm of Westmoreland, Patterson, Moseley & Hinson, we have the compassion and experience to help and advise you on the best course of action.

If your child has suffered due to a driver’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. This can help cover accumulated medical expenses and the cost of treatment. Contact one of our offices conveniently located in Macon, Albany, and Warner Robins today to schedule your free initial consultation.