Traumatic Brain Injury
Over 50,000 people die each year from brain damage and head trauma. A traumatic brain injury is also referred to as TBI. TBI happens when an external physical force impacts the head hard enough to cause the brain to move within the skull or when the force causes the skull to break and directly injure the brain. Brain injury may produce a diminished or altered state of consciousness, and can result in an impairment of cognitive abilities or physical functioning.
Brain injuries can range from mild to severe to life-threatening to fatal. After an impact to the head, a person with a brain injury can experience a variety of symptoms including, but not necessarily limited to, the following:
- Spinal fluid coming out of the ears or nose
- Loss of consciousness
- Dilated or unequal size pupils
- Blurred vision
- Dizziness balance problems
- Respiratory failure
- Paralysis
- Slow pulse
- Slow breathing rate
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Headache
- Confusion
- Ringing in the ears
- Difficulty with thinking skills
- Slurred speech
- Body numbness
The brain can sustain several types of injuries depending on the amount of force that impacts the head. The type of injury the brain receives may affect just one functional area of the brain, multiple areas, or all areas of the brain. Types of TBI include:
*Diffuse Axonal Injury
- A Diffuse Axonal Injury can be caused by shaking or strong rotation to the head, as with Shaken Baby Syndrome, or by rotational forces, such as with a car accident.
- There is tearing of nerve tissue throughout the brain. This can cause certain brain chemicals to be released, causing additional injury.
- The tearing of nerve tissue disrupts the brain's regular communication and chemical processes.
- The disturbance in the brain can produce temporary or permanent widespread brain damage, coma or death.
*Concussion
- A concussion is caused when the brain receives trauma from an impact or a sudden momentum or movement change.
- A concussion can be caused by direct blows to the head, gunshot wounds, violent shaking of the head, or force from a whiplash injury.
- Both closed head injuries and open head injuries can produce a concussion, which is the most common type of brain injury.
- A concussion might not show up on a diagnostic imaging test (C-T scan).
- An untreated concussion can cause a diffuse axonal type injury resulting in permanent damage.
- It can take months or even years for a concussion to heal.
*Contusion
- A contusion can result from a direct impact to the head.
- A contusion is a bruise (bleeding) on the brain. One type of brain contusion is a hematoma.
- Large contusions may need to be surgically removed.
*Coup-Contrecoup Injury
- Coup-Contrecoup Injury describes contusions that are both at the site of the impact and on the complete opposite side of the brain.
- This occurs when the force impacting the head is not only powerful enough to cause a contusion at the site of impact, but also is able to move the brain and cause it to slam into the opposite side of the skull, which causes the additional contusion.
A Traumatic Brain Injury is a complex injury often resulting in a broad spectrum of symptoms and disabilities. The impact on a victim and family can be devastating and quite expensive. Many brain injuries can create long-term or permanent problems for the affected individual and their family. If you live in Kentucky, let the Law Firm of Brett H. Oppenheimer, PLLC hear your claims and investigate your case. Visit our website at www.bluegrassinjury.com and schedule a free consultation.
Brett and his team will discuss the legal options available to you and your family. They will offer sound advice on which route is best for you. Whether or not you are eligible to make a claim will depend on a number of factors, including the severity and cause of the injury.
