Choose a Language:
English
Español
한국어
Frequently Asked Questions: Personal Injury
Article: Traumatic Brain Injury An estimated 1.5 million people per year visit their doctor because of a head injury. Most injuries are minor, but the more serious injuries involve… » More …
February 22, 2008
An estimated 1.5 million people per year visit their doctor because of a head injury. Most injuries are minor, but the more serious injuries involve a traumatic brain injury, or "TBI." TBI can result from exposure to toxic chemicals, oxygen deprivation, tumors, infections, stroke, or hemorrhages, but the most common sources of injury are bullet wounds, falls, and car crashes. TBI can result from a car accident even if the driver or passenger did not hit their head. This is because when the vehicle decelerates abruptly, the brain bounces back and forth against the inside of the skull. As a result of this "bouncing," blood vessels can rupture in the front and back of the brain, causing damage to surrounding tissue. If the injury swells internally, the swelling can get trapped in between the brain and skull and push against the brain causing further injury. Moreover, due to the gelatin-like consistency of the brain, the deceleration can also "stretch" the brain and tear nerve cells in a process called "diffuse axonal shearing."
Traumatic brain injuries are typically classified as mild, moderate, or severe. When the loss of consciousness or disorientation is shorter than 30 minutes, the injury is labeled "mild." Most traumatic brain injuries are mild. Victims of mild injuries exhibit cognitive deficits such as memory, attention and thinking difficulties, mood swings, irritability, depression, sleep disturbance, and headaches. Symptoms can last for a year or more but do not necessarily appear as soon as the injury occurs. Because the symptoms are subtle, they are often overlooked by doctors, family, or even the injured person.
When the loss of consciousness lasts more than 20 minutes, the injury is classified as moderate - greater than 6 hours, as severe. A moderate or severe brain injury usually causes the same cognitive deficits outlined above, in addition to impulsiveness, language processing difficulties, and an impaired ability to construct and implement plans. Chronic pain, loss of energy, changes in appetite, and abnormal body temperature regulation are common. Victims may find it difficult to speak, comprehend spoken words, read, or write. Moderate and severe injuries may also pose sensory problems such as difficulty judging the position of limbs, difficulty judging distance, blurred vision, and difficulty integrating information, as well as hearing, smell, and taste complications. Finally, moderate and severe injuries may be accompanied by emotional disturbances such as depression, increased aggression, loss of inhibition, and irritability. Because the brain is the center of thinking, one peculiar consequence of TBI is that victims may lose their ability to recognize changes in their own personality and body.
TBI victims often require both physical and psychological therapy to rehabilitate. They may need to take time off work and visit a vocational rehabilitation therapist before returning. Depending on the circumstances of your case the quality of your representation, you may be entitled to recover the costs of rehabilitation, lost wages and lost earning-potential, physical pain and mental suffering, as well as the costs of your medical expenses as permitted by the law. Our attorneys are experienced and dedicated to help you recover the maximum amount allowable. The laws that determine when a victim of TBI is eligible to recover the costs of his or her injury are complex and detailed. If you believe you may have suffered a traumatic brain injury, please call our firm immediately.
Sign up for our free e-newsletter and stay abreast of the latest developments in personal injury law.
*Nothing in this website constitutes a guarantee, warranty or prediction regarding the outcome of your case.
The persons appearing in photos on this website are models used only for dramatization purposes and are not actual clients.
This website may constitute attorney advertising under relevant rules of professional conduct.
© 866Sue2Win.com Personal Injury Law Group
