Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) involve one of the most important and complex systems in the human body. An individual can suffer a traumatic brain injury from a car accident, construction accident, or even a fall.
A TBI is caused by a sudden trauma to the brain. TBIs range in severity from mild, moderate, or severe. The effects of a TBI may last days, weeks, months, or for the rest of a person’s life. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), TBIs are a contributing factor in almost one-third of all injury related deaths in the United States. Further, the CDC explains that car accidents are the leading cause of hospital visits, admissions, or fatalities related to TBIs for individuals between the ages of 15 and 44.
There are different categories of TBIs including: concussions, coup-contrecoup, or diffuse axonal injury. A concussion is the most common TBI and is caused by direct blows to the head or whiplash. Closed and open head injuries can produce concussions. People who suffer concussions may or may not be conscious. A coup-contrecoup brain injury usually results from a brain contusion. This is typically the result of a direct impact to the head and leads to bleeding and swelling inside the area where the head was struck. Often, the brain impacts one side of the skull, then bounces back to hit the other side. Finally, a diffuse axonal injury is an injury that causes the connecting fibers within the brain to be sheared. Diffuse axonal injuries usually result in a permanent disability.
Traumatic brain injuries of all degrees are serious and may have lifelong implications. A victim of such injuries should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
If you or someone you know has suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of an accident, contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling 713-231-9360 or toll free at 1‑800-594-4884.