Closed head injuries generally result from a moving head hitting a stationary object

The response of the head when a head injury is sustained has a great effect on the severity of the injury, according to studies. If the head is unable to change its velocity after impact, the skull may be crushed somewhat, resulting in a deformation of the skull. Injuries like this occur when a heavy object falls on the head of someone lying on an unyielding surface, such as a concrete floor. Closed head injuries or concussions generally result from a moving head hitting a stationary object or an object moving at a different velocity. Such injuries are thought to be caused by the acceleration of the brain within the skull.

Doctors know that impact with something that will bend, like the panel of a car, will have much less impact force than impact with something like a concrete floor. The panel of the car will absorb the force and slow the acceleration of the victim at a slower rate than a harder surface would. It may be the case, however, that in some cases a low level of acceleration over a longer period of time may actually be more harmful than a high level of acceleration that lasts a very short time.

Physicians and other experts in Staten Island and Westchester can attempt to model such effects with physics, but any efforts are often in vain due to the differences between individuals. The shape of the head itself, which varies quite a bit between human beings, may well be a factor in the effect of an impact upon the skull. Each case is therefore, unique, and may be difficult to judge by the examination of another case.