Lawyers Helping Traumatic Brain Injury Victims Nationwide

Types of TBI or Head Injuries

Head and brain injuries can sometimes result in no permanent damage, but all head injuries should be looked at by a medical provider to ensure they are not serious, regardless of how minor the symptoms might appear to be. These injuries are often severe enough to prove fatal or cause permanent and debilitating damage, especially if left untreated. Different types of head and brain injuries include the following:

Bump or Bruise on the Head – These injuries may only involve the exterior portion of the head and generally do not cause any harm to the brain.

Concussion – This type of injury happens when the brain becomes bruised by slamming into the skull, and depending on how serious the impact is, the concussion may be minor, or it could be severe enough to compromise a person’s basic motor functions. Concussions are medically graded by increasing severity, 1-4, with 4 being the most serious.

Anoxic Brain Injury – This injury happens when oxygen cannot reach the brain, and the damage can be permanent. In severe cases, lack of oxygen to the brain can result in profound mental and/or physical disability and even death.

Skull Fracture – Often, skull fractures can heal on their own, but more serious ones also cause brain damage and/or require surgical intervention if any tissue is harmed.

Countercoup –When person’s brain slams back and forth between both sides of the brain, causing swelling and pain, it can inhibit vital brain functions.

Epidural Hematoma – This injury happens when blood pools between the skull and top lining of the brain, which is called the “dura.” The pooled blood clots and causes pressure to build in the brain. In severe cases, surgery may be necessary to relieve the swelling.

Subdural Hematoma – This type of injury can be catastrophic. Subdural hematoma happens when blood pools between the top lining of the brain (dura) and the brain tissue. Some subdural hematomas are slow-growing over several weeks, while others are more acute and arise suddenly. Either type is severe or may require surgery to prevent further damage.

Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAJ) – This injury happens when there are rotation and disruption of the brain within the skull. Such rotation and disruption may sever the brain’s connective nerve fibers or axons. DAJs can be difficult to diagnose, and evidence through studies demonstrates that damage to axons happens within 12 to 24 hours after the injury is sustained.

Traumatic Brain Hemorrhage (Bleed) – One of the most serious types of TBI, bleeding of the brain damages actual tissue, which can permanently interfere with a person’s cognitive, emotional, and motor abilities. Brain bleeds can also cause subdural hematoma, and require emergency surgery to decrease pressure.

Most head and brain injuries, if left untreated, can cause permanent damage, and in some cases, can be deadly. Because many head and brain injuries are permanent, medical intervention may be required for many years or decades, depending on a person’s age and how disabled a person has become because of the injury. As such, the damage caused by a head or brain injury goes beyond pain and can include, among others, loss of income from an inability to work, significant medical expenses, permanent disability, and emotional harm, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The CDC’s most recent data showed that nearly 70,000 people die from TBIs yearly in the United States. That number comes out to more than 190 deaths each day. 

While nearly any accident can result in a head injury or TBI, the most common causes of head injuries and TBIs include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Auto Accidents (including, among others, car, truck, bus, motorcycle, and pedestrian accidents);
• Slip and Falls and other Premises Liability Accidents
• Nursing Home abuse and neglect;
• Negligent Medical Professionals (particularly when dropping patients)
• Construction and other workplace accidents.

Head and brain injuries can be instantaneous or develop over time. Regardless of how a head or brain injury happens, the injury is likely triggered by a significant impact. However, a person may sustain a head or brain injury without knowing it, as the brain can slam into the skull even without impact between the skull and another object or surface. Whatever the cause of a head injury or TBI, the subsequent symptoms and treatment are likely to be similar.

TBI-related health complications

Any TBI–no matter how “mild”–can contribute to overall health issues. Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury include learning difficulties, memory problems, difficulty concentrating, problem-solving issues and more.

Repeated “mild” traumatic brain injuries could lead to a longer recovery or more severe symptoms.

Who’s at the most risk?

Especially vulnerable to traumatic brain injuries are seniors over 75 years old, minority populations, service members and veterans, people in correctional facilities, the homeless population, survivors of intimate partner violence, and children.

No matter the injured person’s age, TBIs put an enormous strain on individuals and their families.