Brain Injury: Conditions & Common Causes

Brain Injury Injury Law

Brain Injury: Conditions & Common Causes

A brain injury can occur for a number of different reasons, but there are two major categories of brain injury: acquired brain injury and traumatic brain injury. An acquired brain injury happens when brain cells are impaired, for example when brain cells are not getting enough oxygen. These injuries are called “anoxic” (no oxygen) or “hypoxic” (little oxygen) brain injuries. They can result from airway obstruction, electrical shock, head or neck injury, or a disease that interferes with oxygen flow to the brain. The Brain Injury Association of America provides more information on the different types of acquired brain injuries.
Traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is caused by a jolt or blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that causes a disruption of normal brain function. A traumatic brain injury occurs when tissues, nerves or blood vessels in the brain are strained or torn. The TBI may affect many parts of the brain (diffuse TBI) or it may affect only a portion of the brain, depending on the type and severity of the injury.
Traumatic brain injuries range in severity from “mild,” “moderate” or “severe.” A mild TBI can result in a brief loss of consciousness (a few seconds or minutes), or a sense of being stunned or dazed. A moderate TBI can result in a longer period of unconsciousness (a few minutes to a few hours), confusion, or decreased mental or physical abilities. A severe TBI can have more serious effects, such as amnesia or a coma. Traumatic brain injuries are common. Each year, 1.4 million Americans suffer a TBI, and 50,000 of those injuries are fatal. The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control provides more statistics on the number of injuries and the cost of TBI, as well as its signs, treatments and effects.
Types of Traumatic Brain Injury
There are different types of traumatic brain injury. These include:
Concussion. Concussions are the most common type of TBI. A concussion is damage to nerves or blood vessels in the brain often caused by an impact to the head.
Contusions. A contusion is a bruise or bleeding on the brain that can be caused by an impact.
Diffuse Axonal Injury. This is tearing of nerve tissue in the brain that occurs when the brain is jostled in the skull. It can result from shaking (for instance, shaken baby syndrome) or from a sudden impact that flings the head back (whiplash).
Coup-countrecoup Injury. This type of injury occurs when an impact not only injures the site of impact, but causes the brain to impact with the skull, causing injury to the opposite side of the brain.
Penetration injury. A penetration injury is any injury that results in penetration of an object into the brain, or causes a skull fracture that sends pieces of bone into the brain. This type of injury can be the result of a gunshot wound, knife wound, or other violent injury.
The most common causes of traumatic brain injury are: 1. falls (28 percent) 2. auto accidents (20 percent) 3. blows or strikes to the head (19 percent) 4. assaults (11 percent) 5.
Symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injury
The symptoms of a traumatic brain injury sometimes do not appear until days or weeks after the injury happens. The symptoms can include:
lasting headaches or neck aches
dizziness or trouble with balance
blurry vision or sensitivity to light
nausea or light-headedness
loss of memory
difficulty concentrating
slow speech, thinking or writing
mood swings or feeling tired all the time
Not every head injury causes a traumatic brain injury, but because the symptoms can be difficult to detect, it is important to visit a doctor if you have suffered a recent head injury or impact and noticed any of the symptoms listed above.
If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury due to another person’s negligence, you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries and medical expenses that result from the injuries. A personal injury attorney can tell you if you have a case worth pursuing, and estimate how much you may be able to receive.
It is important for you to start looking into any possible claim as soon as possible, because every state has a statute of limitations that limits when you can file a personal injury lawsuit (for example, some states allow two years from the date of the injury or from when the injury was or should have been discovered). If you miss the deadline, you will not be able to bring a lawsuit. If you would like an experienced brain injury lawyer to review your case, fill out our case evaluation form and an attorney will contact you for a no-cost, no obligation evaluation.
Free Advice also provides a list of Brain Injury FAQs which provides you with additional information. If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury due to another person’s negligence, you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries and medical expenses that result from the injuries. A personal injury attorney can tell you if you have a case worth pursuing, and estimate how much you may be able to receive.
It is important for you to start looking into any possible claim as soon as possible, because every state has a statute of limitations that limits when you can file a personal injury lawsuit (for example, some states allow two years from the date of the injury or from when the injury was or should have been discovered). If you miss the deadline, you will not be able to bring a lawsuit. If you would like an experienced brain injury lawyer to review your case, fill out our case evaluation form and an attorney will contact you for a no-cost, no obligation evaluation.
Free Advice also provides a list of Brain Injury FAQs which provides you with additional information.

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