Many articles outlining symptoms of brain bleed after hitting head warn to look for signs of an intracranial hemorrhage. While some side effects of a brain bleed appear instantly, other mild symptoms may start over a few hours to a few weeks.
A brain bleed, or intracranial hemorrhage, can cause life-threatening pressure on the brain and require emergency care. Understanding the different types of intracranial hemorrhages and the mild and severe symptoms of a brain bleed can help you seek emergency treatment when it matters most.
If you’ve suffered a head injury or traumatic brain injury because of someone else’s negligence, our Houston brain injury lawyers can help you secure financial compensation.
Call 713-622-7271 to schedule a free consultation with our Houston personal injury law firm.
What Is a Brain Bleed?
A brain bleed, or intracranial hemorrhage, is a life-threatening complication that can occur after a fall or blow to the head. When a head injury ruptures blood vessels inside the skull bone, blood fills areas within the brain tissue or between the three membrane layers that protect the brain: the dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater.
The most serious symptoms of a brain bleed after hitting your head may begin immediately or over days or weeks and include confusion, slurred speech, loss of consciousness, vomiting, severe headache, or weakness on one side of the body.
A brain bleed occurs when trauma, such as a car accident, a slip and fall, or a sports injury, causes bleeding inside the skull. This prevents oxygen and nutrients from reaching the brain tissue, resulting in permanent brain damage without prompt treatment.
People taking blood thinners, older adults, or those with unmanaged high blood pressure face a higher risk.
Such conditions require emergency care to drain blood, relieve pressure, and begin a treatment plan that may include surgery, rehabilitation, or occupational therapy. If you experience any severe symptoms after head trauma, seek immediate medical attention to prevent complications or death.
What are the Symptoms of a Brain Hemorrhage?
Brain hemorrhage side effects depend on the location, size, and cause of the brain bleed, but often include sudden and severe neurological signs. Common warnings include:
- Sudden severe headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Loss of consciousness or confusion
- Difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- Loss of balance or coordination
- Weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- Vision changes or blurred vision
- Seizures
- Difficulty swallowing
- Personality changes or irritability
In cases of traumatic brain injury or high blood pressure, these may appear quickly or worsen over time. A brain hemorrhage is a medical emergency. If you experience any of these, seek immediate medical attention to reduce the risk of permanent brain damage or death.
Brain Bleed Symptoms By Type
Intracerebral Hemorrhage Symptoms (Bleeding in the Brain Tissue)
An intracerebral hemorrhage, or bleeding inside the brain tissue, can cause sudden headache, vomiting, weakness on one side, confusion, or loss of consciousness. Symptoms depend on the size and location of the bleed and often develop without warning.
Lobar Hemorrhage (Bleeding in One Part of the Brain)
This occurs in a specific brain lobe, frontal, temporal, parietal, or occipital. It’s often linked to trauma or blood vessel disease and may impact localized brain functions based on the area involved.
Putaminal Hemorrhage (Bleeding in the Basal Ganglia)
Bleeding in the putamen affects deep motor pathways. It’s most commonly caused by high blood pressure and may lead to impaired movement or muscle control.
Thalamic Hemorrhage (Bleeding in the Thalamus)
This type affects the brain’s sensory relay center. Bleeding here can disrupt sensation and alertness and is often associated with chronic hypertension.
Cerebellar Hemorrhage Symptoms (Bleeding in the Balance Center of the Brain)
This type of bleed affects the cerebellum, the region responsible for coordination and balance. It can result from high blood pressure, trauma, or vascular malformations. Hemorrhage in this area can disrupt brainstem function and obstruct cerebrospinal fluid flow.
Pontine Hemorrhage (Bleeding in the Pons)
A critical brainstem bleed can impair breathing, heart rate, and consciousness. Often fatal without immediate care.
Brainstem Hemorrhage (Bleeding in the Brain’s Control Center)
Bleeding in the brainstem affects vital functions like breathing and swallowing. Even small bleeds can cause coma or death.
Hypertensive Hemorrhage (Deep Brain Bleed from High Blood Pressure and Other Risk Factors)
Usually affects deep structures like the putamen, thalamus, or brainstem. Long-term hypertension is the leading cause and increases risk of repeat events.
Intraventricular Hemorrhage (Bleeding Into the Brain’s Fluid Spaces)
Blood enters the brain’s ventricles, blocking fluid flow and raising intracranial pressure. Intraventricular hemorrhage can occur on its own or as a complication of another brain bleed.
Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Symptoms (Bleeding Around the Brain)
Subarachnoid hemorrhage symptoms typically begin with a sudden, severe headache often described as the worst headache of your life. Others may include nausea, vomiting, stiff neck, blurred vision, sensitivity to light, feeling confused, or loss of consciousness. Because the bleeding occurs in the space around the brain, it can increase pressure and lead to seizures, speech difficulties, or coma. This type of brain bleed needs a medical emergency intervention to prevent life-threatening complications.
Subdural Hematoma Symptoms (Bleeding Under the Brain’s Outer Layer)
A subdural hematoma occurs when blood collects between the dura mater and the arachnoid membrane, usually due to torn veins following head trauma. This condition may develop rapidly after a severe head injury (acute) or slowly over time from a mild impact (chronic), especially in older adults or those taking blood thinners.
A subdural hemorrhage refers to the active bleeding in this same area and often leads to subdural hematoma formation. Signs of a subdural hemorrhage are the same as those listed above. Because blood pools beneath the skull, emergency surgery is typically needed to remove the subdural hematoma and prevent further brain injury.
Epidural Hematoma Symptoms (Brain Bleed Between the Skull Bone and Brain Lining)
An epidural hematoma involves bleeding between the skull bone and the dura mater, usually caused by a traumatic brain injury that ruptures an artery. This condition often follows a direct blow to the head and can create rapid pressure on the brain. It’s typically associated with a lucid interval, where the person briefly regains consciousness before deteriorating quickly. Anyone experiencing this should go to the emergency room immediately to remove the blood.
What Causes a Brain Bleed?
The most common causes of brain bleeds include head trauma, aneurysm rupture, blood vessel abnormalities, or use of blood thinners, one of the most dangerous drugs, inherently. Triggers of these common causes include car crashes, falls, sports injuries, or assault. The most common causes that are not traumatic include brain tumors, vascular malformations, or bleeding disorders like hemophilia. Additionally, unmanaged high blood pressure can weaken the blood vessel walls and lead to brain hemorrhages.
In older people, even minor trauma can cause bleeding due to brain shrinkage and fragile veins.
Signs of Brain Bleed After Hitting Head
Warning signs of a brain bleed after hitting your head may include feeling confused, a severe headache, difficulty speaking, nausea, quick unconsciousness, unequal pupils, feeling weak in one area of the body, or seizures. Some people experience a brief period of alertness followed by a rapid decline.
How Hard Do You Have to Hit Your Head For It To Cause a Brain Bleed?
There is no exact amount of force that causes brain bleeds because it varies based on individual risk factors and head injury mechanics.
In healthy adults, it typically takes a moderate to severe impact to cause a brain hemorrhage.
For older individuals, even a minor bump can cause a subdural hematoma due to brain atrophy and fragile bridging veins.
In people taking blood-thinning medications (like warfarin or aspirin), the force needed is significantly lower, as impaired clotting increases the likelihood of brain bleeds.
Infants and children may suffer brain bleeds from shaking or lower impacts due to weaker vessels and a developing skull bone.
Most spontaneous brain bleeds need a significant impact, unless underlying conditions lower the threshold.
What are the Chances of Surviving a Brain Bleed?
The chances of surviving a brain bleed depend on the type, location, and size of the brain bleed, and how fast a person gets emergency medical care.
Small, well-managed brain bleeds, especially those outside the brain tissue, have a high survival rate with full recovery.
Deep or large brain bleeds carry a much lower survival rate and a higher risk of permanent damage to the brain or death.
Overall, the 30-day mortality rate for intracerebral hemorrhage is around 40%. Outcomes improve notably with early diagnosis, stroke unit care, surgery, and critical monitoring.
Outcomes are better in younger patients, those with mild symptoms, and individuals who get prompt treatment before extensive brain damage occurs.
How Long After Hitting Your Head Can Brain Bleed Occur?
A brain bleed can occur immediately after a head injury or be delayed for as long as a few weeks.
- Minor brain bleeds (like epidural hemorrhages) may start within minutes to hours.
- Subdural hematomas, especially in older people or those taking specific medications, can happen gradually over days or weeks.
Any head injury followed by new or worsening side effects should be treated as an emergency, even if the impact seemed minor at first.
Who Is Liable for Brain Bleed Recovery in Texas?
Intracranial Hemorrhage Caused by Negligent Medical Treatment
An intracranial hemorrhage can result from medical malpractice when a healthcare provider fails to follow proper standards of care. Brain bleeds occur when doctors mismanage medications, surgeon errors, failure to treat an abnormal heart rate, or delayed diagnoses of a severe head injury or stroke.
When emergency rooms don’t recognize symptoms to look for after a fall or that patients may have a brain hemorrhage, they delay imaging or treatment, which can result in permanent damage or fatalities. Our Houston medical negligence lawyers help brain bleed victims pursue fair compensation for negligence in the treatment of brain hemorrhages.
Brain Bleed From Fall
A brain bleed from a fall may result in a legal claim if the accident was caused by negligence, such as unsafe property conditions or lack of supervision. Our Houston slip and fall lawyers have extensive experience with cases involving nursing homes, workplaces, or premises liability violations. Victims may be entitled to compensation for medical care, lost wages, rehabilitation, and the long-term effects of the head injury.
Brain Bleed from Car Accident
A brain bleed from a car accident can occur when the force of impact causes the brain to hit the inside of the skull, rupturing blood vessels. If another driver was at fault, the head injury may support a legal claim for immediate medical care, future medical treatment, lost income, and pain and suffering. For legal assistance with suing after a Texas car accident, contact our Houston car crash attorneys.
Traumatic Brain Injury From Defective Medical Devices or Prescriptions
A traumatic brain injury may result from defective medical devices or dangerous prescriptions that cause bleeding, swelling, or oxygen loss in the brain. Examples include malfunctioning surgical tools, faulty implants, or improperly labeled medications. If the product directly contributes to or worsens a brain injury, the manufacturer may be liable under a Texas pharmaceutical liability claim.
Head Injury Resulting From Sports Injuries
Sports-related head injuries can result in subdural hematomas or intracerebral hemorrhages, especially in contact sports. These injuries may result from blows to the head or a lack of proper safety gear. If negligence contributed to the injury, consult with our Houston sports injury lawyers.
Houston Brain Bleed Lawyer
Head injuries can lead to serious, life-altering, and life-threatening health complications. That’s why it’s so important that victims of negligence receive fair compensation for their losses. If you or a loved one has suffered from a subdural hematoma or another type of brain bleed due to someone else’s negligence, call the Houston law professionals at Reich & Binstock.
We help victims of negligence receive compensation so that they can spend less time focusing on medical bills and other expenses and spend more time healing from their physical and emotional injuries. Call 713-622-7271 to schedule a free consultation.
