David B. Bobrosky | February 15, 2024 | Personal Injury
The brain is a complex organ responsible for everything from coordinating movement to involuntary processes such as breathing. Brain injuries can result in life-altering injuries that affect a person’s ability to earn a living, take care of themselves, and interact with others.
It is important for all brain injury victims and their caregivers to understand the injury and its potential impact.
There are many different types of brain injuries, but some of the most common are:
Concussion
A concussion is the most common type of brain injury. These injuries are commonly caused by blunt force trauma to the head when the victim strikes their head on an object, such as a dashboard or steering wheel. The damage can occur under the point of impact, on the opposite side of the head, or on both sides of the head, depending on the circumstances.
Penetrating Brain Injury
A penetrating brain injury occurs when an object penetrates the skull and enters the brain. For example, penetrating brain injuries can occur from gunshots or stab wounds. Penetrating injuries cause brain bleeding and brain cell death. Victims can also suffer from oxygen deprivation, which can cause them to lose brain function or die.
Anoxic Brain Injury
An anoxic brain injury occurs when the brain is deprived of oxygen. These injuries can occur during drownings. Blood vessel damage may prevent oxygen from reaching the brain, leading to brain damage or death.
Diffuse Axonal Injury
A diffuse axonal injury occurs when the brain shifts in the skull. For example, a person who is rear-ended may experience a violent jolting back and forth in which the brain collides with the inside of the skull. The brain’s long connecting fibers are torn from it, which can lead to severe brain damage.
Common Causes of Brain Injuries
Brain injuries are often caused by some external force to the brain.
Some of the most common causes of traumatic brain injuries include:
- Falls – Falls are responsible for about half of hospitalizations for traumatic brain injuries.
- Motor vehicle accidents – Car accidents are a leading cause of traumatic brain injuries.
- Shootings – Shootings are the most common cause of traumatic brain injury-related deaths.
- Assaults – Intentional assaults also cause many traumatic brain injuries each year.
- Sports – Contact sports like football and hockey can also result in traumatic brain injuries.
When someone else’s negligence is responsible for traumatic brain injuries, you may be able to recover financial compensation from them to pay for your damages.
3 Levels of Severity
Healthcare providers use the Glasgow Coma Scale, memory loss, and consciousness level to assign a level of severity to brain injury victims. There are three levels of brain injury severity: mild, moderate, and severe.
The Glasgow Coma Scale looks at different metrics to apply a score to a particular brain injury patient. These factors consider the patient’s ability to speak, open their eyes, and move. The healthcare provider assigns a score based on these abilities or inabilities from 0 to 15. Higher ratings are associated with mild traumatic brain injuries and lower scores with severe traumatic brain injuries.
Using this model, a healthcare provider may assign the following level of severity to a patient based on their symptoms:
- Mild – No loss of consciousness or loss of consciousness of less than 30 minutes, memory loss of less than 24 hours, Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13 to 15
- Moderate – Loss of consciousness for more than 30 minutes, up to 24 hours, memory loss of 24 hours to seven days, Glasgow Coma Scale score of 9 to 12
- Severe – Loss of consciousness of more than 23 hours, memory loss of more than seven days, Glasgow Coma Scale of 3 to 8 for more than seven days
Each level of traumatic brain injury may also display different symptoms as follows:
Mild
Despite the name, mild traumatic brain injuries can be serious and involve symptoms such as:
- Temporary loss of consciousness
- Headaches
- Dizziness
- Difficulty maintaining balance
- Vomiting or nausea
- Fatigue
- Difficulty thinking clearly or remembering
- Difficulty paying attention
- Confusion
- Problems getting to sleep or sleeping too much
- Sensitivity to light or sound
- Vision problems
- Tinnitus
- Bad taste in the mouth
- Feeling more emotional than normal
- Feeling anxious or irritable
Young children may have difficulty explaining their symptoms. Parents should watch out for changes in their child’s behavior, such as changes in their eating or sleeping patterns. They may not play with their favorite toys or enjoy their favorite activities. They may also cry more than usual.
Moderate
Moderate traumatic brain injury victims may suffer from the same symptoms as those with mild traumatic brain injuries. However, the symptoms may be more pronounced. For example, loss of consciousness may be longer. Headaches may be persistent or worsening. Vomiting may be continuous.
Additional symptoms that victims may suffer include:
- Seizures or convulsions
- Inability to wake from sleep
- Numbness or weakness in the limbs
- Dilated pupils
- Slurred speech
It is important to seek prompt medical attention if these symptoms are present.
Severe
Victims who suffer from a severe traumatic brain injury may have any of the symptoms of those with a mild or moderate traumatic brain injury. They could also be in a coma or be unable to wake up.
It is vital to get medical attention immediately following a brain injury to try to minimize the harm of the injury as much as possible.
Can a Brain Injury Attorney Help You Recover Damages?
You may be entitled to compensation if you are hurt because of someone else’s negligence, intentional misconduct, or wrongful act. Brain injuries can be expensive to treat and can have far-reaching effects.
A personal injury attorney may be able to help you pursue the following damages after a brain injury:
- Emergency medical treatment and transportation
- Surgical costs
- Hospital stays
- Diagnostic testing
- Anticipated future medical expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy costs
- Lost wages and employment benefits
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disability
- Psychological counseling
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Contact the Encino Brain Injury Lawyers of JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers for Help Today
Please contact an experienced Brain Injury lawyer at JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers for a free initial consultation today at (833) 852-3600.
Our main office is in Encino, CA, but we serve all through Los Angeles County.
JUSTICENTER Personal Injury Lawyers
16633 Ventura Blvd suite 1011,
Encino, CA 91436