Traumatic injury to the head can damage the delicate tissue of the brain. Even if the full damage is not visible, brain injuries are often serious and life-altering. If you or a loved one have suffered a brain injury due to someone else’s negligent actions, you should consider bringing a personal injury case to get compensation. If you decide to file a personal injury case, you will need a brain injury lawyer to help you get the compensation you or your loved one deserves.
Traumatic brain injuries often occur as a result of a violent blow or a significant jolt to the body or head. Traumatic injuries to the brain can also occur when an object strikes the head and penetrates the brain tissue, such as when the head is struck by a bullet that pierces the brain tissue.
The most common causes of traumatic head injuries include motor vehicle accidents and falls. Brain injuries can happen in car accidents, even minor ones, due to the impact of the vehicle striking the other vehicle. A common minor brain injury due to a car accident is whiplash. Whiplash is often resolved after a few weeks.
Falls tend to be more common with elderly individuals and children. If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of a fall, you may have a personal injury claim against the owner of the property on which the fall occurred.
Another slightly less common cause of brain injury is athletic activity. Certain sports tend to result in brain injuries to the players. These sports include soccer, football, and lacrosse, and hockey. Whether or not it is possible to succeed with a personal injury claim due to sport-related traumatic brain injuries is very dependent on the facts of the case.
There are different degrees of seriousness when it comes to traumatic brain injuries. You may have a mild brain injury that occurs and affects your brain cells on a temporary basis that is then resolved fairly quickly, such as bruising. In other cases, more serious brain injuries can result in torn brain tissue, bleeding, and other forms of physical damage to the brain. Serious traumatic brain injuries can end up resulting in major long-term complications, or even death.
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact us as soon as possible to get in touch with a brain injury lawyer.
Often, traumatic brain injuries are classified into two categories: penetrating head injury and closed head injury.
A penetrating head injury, or open wound, is visible and involves an actual penetration of the skull and brain tissue.
A closed head injury is the more common type of traumatic brain injury. These vary widely in severity. For example, a minor concussion is a form of closed head injury. On the other end of the spectrum, a closed head injury can result in complete disability, loss of physical function and cognitive ability, or even death.
Sometimes the symptoms of a profound head injury are not immediately apparent. However, there are recognized symptoms of brain damage. Signs of closed head injury include unconsciousness at the accident site, a coma, or seizure(s). If an individual sustains any injury to the head, it is important to seek immediate medical attention.
When a person’s head is struck or jarred in an accident, be on the lookout for headaches, nausea, confusion, or other problems with concentration or memory.
Personality changes also may signal a traumatic brain injury. The injured person might become unusually irritable, angry, or depressed. Family, friends, and co-workers may notice these changes, while the injured person does not. Once again, prompt medical attention is very important for a suspected injury.
If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury, contact us as soon as possible.
The outcome of a traumatic brain injury varies greatly, depending on its severity. A treating physician often uses the Glasgow Coma Scale to assess the extent of the damage.
The Glasgow Coma Scale measures a closed head injury victim’s ability to open his or her eyes, provide verbal responses, and provide motor responses. The scale ranges between a score of three to fifteen. The higher the score, the better the overall prognosis.