Georgia Car Accident Lawyers Discuss Anoxic Brain Injuries
Any brain injury has the potential to alter a person’s life irrevocably and can have a devastating outcome for the injured as well as the person’s family. Medicine recognizes two broad categories of brain injuries. They are traumatic brain injuries and anoxic brain injuries. Anoxic brain injuries occur when an injury or medical condition restricts blood flow to the brain. The lack of oxygenated blood flowing from the heart to the brain can cause irreversible damage in as few as four minutes. That is not much time to pass before a person suffers irreversible complications.
Anoxia can occur after a person suffers an injury to the vitalbody part. Injuryto a body part that restricts oxygen flow is called hypoxia. Hypoxia can turn into anoxia unless emergency medical intervention arrives quickly to restore oxygen flow to the brain. Hypoxia can happen after a serious car crash when the victim loses a significant amount of blood or suffers a traumatic injury to the throat or lungs. For example, nearly drowning, choking, or strangulation can lead to an anoxic brain injury. Also, a sudden cardiovascular event like a heart attack or stroke can cause an anoxic brain injury as well.
What Happens to Your Brain After You Suffer an Anoxic Brain Injury?
Total loss of oxygen to the brain is fatal. Even a substantial loss of oxygen to the brain can be fatal as well. Additionally, oxygen loss to the brain could cause permanent injury. The brain, heart, kidneys, and other organs start to shut down with prolonged oxygen deprivation. Restoring oxygen levels in the brai nis necessary to prevent death or permanent and irreversible injury.
Anoxic Brain Injury Symptoms
Whether a person requires medical attention immediately after a car crash is sometimes difficult to determine. Instances frequently occur that a person who was just involved in an accident can walk and talk as first responders begin to arrive. Then, almost as if without warning, the accident victim declines and dies from an internal injury. That is why getting checked out on scene by ambulance personnel can be critical to saving a victim's life. Of course, you should never seek medical treatment if you do not need it, on the one hand. On the other hand, however, signs of anoxic brain injury can mimic less severe injuries. For example, feeling disoriented after a crash is not uncommon. However,being dizzy or disoriented is just one of the many symptoms of anoxic brain injury.
Other symptoms of anoxic brain injury include:
- Mood or personality changes,
- Memory loss,
- Inability to remember words,
- Slurring of speech (which could be confused for intoxication),
- Poor judgment or inexplicable decision making,
- Feeling weak,
- Having a hard time walking or moving arms,
- Headaches, and
- Having difficulty concentrating.
Some of these symptoms might surface within a day or two after suffering the injury that led to anoxic brain injury. These symptoms might appear after a while if oxygen deprivation is slow or gradual. Substantial loss of oxygen quickly will result in:
- Loss of consciousness,
- Seizures, and
- Hallucinations.
These symptoms can occur in as little as four minutes once the victim experiences a sudden and substantial drop in oxygen levels.
Types of Anoxic Brain Injury
Two types of anoxic brain injuries are prevalent in car accidents. A kind of anoxic brain injury is called stagnant anoxia, which is also known as hypoxic-ischemic injury. Stagnant anoxia happens when the blood does not reach the body parts that need it.
Another anoxic brain injury is anoxic anoxia. This condition occurs when the breath is restricted. Near-drowning, suffocation, and strangulation are causes of anoxic anoxia. These events can happen in a car wreck if the vehicle rolls over and a seatbelt or steering wheel restricts the victim’s breathing. Also, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause this sort of brain injury.
Rehabilitation for Anoxic Brain Injury
Doctors will treat the victim’s condition as presented. Once stabilized, then treatment providers can rehabilitate the victim and restore his or her full health, or help the auto accident victim return to reasonable health. Treatment and rehabilitation include:
- A course of physical therapy,
- Occupational therapy, and
- Emotional/Psychological treatment.
Damages Allowed in Georgia Car Accidents As Compensation For Anoxic Brain Injuries
Georgia law permits recovery for damages that naturally flow from the car crash in the victim suffered an anoxic brain injury. Georgia car wreck victims can receive financial compensation for:
- Medical treatment and expenses,
- Future medical expenses,
- Lost wages,
- Future medical expenses,
- Pain and suffering, and
- Punitive damages for cases involving intentional wrongful conduct and defective products.
Put Our Law Firm's Over 39 Years Of Legal Experience To Work For Your Case!
If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, call Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law for your free consultation today. Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.
No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at Montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour live chat.
Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333
Sources:
https://www.healthline.com/health/anoxia
https://www.spinalcord.com/anoxic-brain-injury