What Is A Traumatic Brain Injury?

Traumatic brain injuries can be classified as either mild to severe, but even the most mild of cases can cause lifelong complications and hardship in a victim’s life. The term “traumatic brain injury” refers to injuries that occur to the brain and skull that lead to brain damage. Understanding the causes, complications, and symptoms of traumatic brain injuries are important, as knowing the terminology may come in handy should you file a personal injury lawsuit.

The symptoms of a brain injury can leave a lasting impact on your life. Some of the long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury include memory loss, headaches, migraines, nausea, and other dangerous symptoms. If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence, you’ll need to work with a lawyer who is compassionate, understanding, and who will fight for your right to the compensation you deserve.

What Are The Different Types Of Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Penetrating brain injuries: Penetrating brain injuries, the most severe of all types of traumatic brain injuries, occurs when an object or fragment permeates the skull causing brain damage. This can include injuries caused by bullets or shell fragments, a knife, or another blunt object. This type of injury can also occur when an individual slips and falls on hard pavement which then cracks the skull.  Penetrating brain injury is a significant cause of mortality in young individuals and can cause not only death, but a lifetime of complications and symptoms. The force on the brain from the impact can cause slurring of speech, distorted balance, reduced motor skills, and many other impairments. 

Brain contusions: A brain contusion occurs when tissue of the brain becomes bruised. Just like a bruise anywhere else on the body, brain contusions occur when blood vessels break and then leak under the skin. Brain contusions are caused from a blunt force strike to the head but, unlike a penetrating brain injury, a contusion does not penetrate the skull. Similar to other brain injuries, however, a brain contusion can cause agitation, fatigue, loss of consciousness, and could cause the brain to swell.

Concussions: Concussions occur when impact to the head, change in sudden movement, or aggressive shaking injuries the brain. Concussions can be less severe than the previous two injuries listed, but become especially dangerous if more than one occur. Getting a second concussion, especially if the first one hasn’t healed yet, can be fatal.

Anoxic brain injuries: When the brain does not receive as much oxygen as it needs to function properly, an anoxic brain injury occurs. Anoxic brain injuries occur from choking, suffocation, carbon monoxide poisoning, drowning, or any other action that interferes with regular respiration. The consequences of lack of oxygen to the brain can be incredibly dangerous, and life-long side effects can be grave.

What Kind Of Compensation Can I Receive For A Traumatic Brain Injury?

The amount of compensation you can get for your traumatic brain injury case may depend on what areas of your life your brain injury has affected. Generally speaking, the more traumatic an injury is, the higher the cost of your medical care will be, and therefore you will likely receive a higher settlement to cover the costs.

Personal injury lawsuits seek to compensate defendants for the following expenses:

• Medical bills: Your lawyer will seek to award you compensation that covers the cost of your medical care. This includes, but is not limited to, the cost of prescription medication, hospital visits, doctor’s office copays, surgery, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and more.
• Lost wages: When you suffer a traumatic brain injury, you will most likely need to spend extensive time at home to heal. This will cause you to miss out on money in your paycheck, bringing about financial burden. Your attorney will fight for your right to lose wage compensation.
• Wrongful death: If you’ve lost a loved one due to a traumatic brain injury that was caused by someone else’s recklessness, negligence or carelessness, you deserve compensation for what you have suffered.
• Pain and suffering: Pain and suffering is not to be overlooked. Physical injuries are serious, but the depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress that accompany them are just as severe. Your attorney will seek to compensate you for your pain and suffering following the injury.

Schedule a Free Case Evaluation With The Law Office Of Glenn C. McGovern

We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation to anyone Louisiana resident who has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to someone else’s negligence. You have the right to seek compensation for what’s happened to you, and our attorneys will stop at nothing to help you through the process.