Traumatic brain injury (TBI) generally describes damage to brain tissue which is caused by trauma from an external force and/or the brain’s impact against the inside of the skull. The signs and symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of these injuries depend on both the severity and exact type of TBI, and your resulting legal claim may also depend on your particular diagnosis.
TBIs are generally classified as mild or severe. Mild TBIs may involve a loss of consciousness or confusion/disorientation lasting less than thirty minutes and can have lasting effects if not treated properly, such as attention deficits, headaches, mood swings, and memory loss. If a TBI results in lost consciousness for more than thirty minutes and memory loss for more than 24 hours after the injury, it is classified as a severe brain injury. These injuries may result in high-level cognitive impairments, abnormal speech, or loss of thinking ability to comatose states, and long-term rehabilitation is usually necessary to maximize the individual’s independence and physical and psychological function.
The four types of traumatic brain injury are:
Concussions – While many concussions are considered “mild” TBIs, they should never be ignored under any circumstances. If a person suffers a concussion and returns to physical activity before it has fully healed, a second injury could result in Second Impact Syndrome (SIS), a life-threatening condition which causes swelling of the brain, potentially leading to permanent damage and even death.
Penetrating brain injuries – These injuries involve a foreign object passing through the skull and penetrating the dura matter which surrounds the brain. They are commonly caused by high-velocity projectiles, such as bullets or shrapnel, or lower-velocity piercings, such as a stab wound or piece of bone lodged in brain tissue due to a skull fracture. Victims who have suffered penetrating brain injuries may lose abilities associated with the injured area of the brain and suffer respiratory problems, epilepsy, or other medical complications.
Cerebral contusions – These are commonly referred to as “bruises on the brain” and are usually caused by head trauma. They may exist on one or more sides of the brain and can cause seizures, headaches, confusion, nausea and vomiting, sensory problems, and loss of consciousness. Cerebral contusions always require immediate medical evaluation and close monitoring to control the injury and prevent any complications from arising.
Intracranial hemorrhages – When head trauma occurs, a blood vessel inside the skull may leak or rupture, resulting in intracranial bleeding. This can lead to dangerous pressure inside the skull, causing further damage to brain tissue, and bleeding in the brain tissue (cerebral hemorrhage) can also occur. Cerebral and intracranial hemorrhages always require immediate medical attention, as they can lead to stroke, coma, or even death in severe cases.
It’s important to remember that some TBIs do not immediately produce symptoms, sometimes not for weeks or even months after the initial injury. This is why it’s important to seek a full medical evaluation as soon as possible, maintain all of your medical records, document your daily life and the injury’s effects in a journal, and speak with a personal injury attorney who will fight for your compensation.
If you’ve suffered a traumatic brain injury, you need a settlement that brings lasting financial stability. Soon after your accident, the insurance company may offer you a settlement that seems high, and you may be tempted to accept it, but the reason it’s being offered so quickly is because it won’t fully compensate you for your damages and expenses, and insurers always want to pay out as little as possible. With ongoing medical treatment and/or therapy related to your injury, along with a high deductible or even a cap on payments, an insufficient settlement can run out quickly, leaving you with no more compensation and no second chance at ever earning compensation for the same accident. We represent you to ensure that this does not happen to you, and that you are instead fully compensated for both present and future expenses and losses.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident, you need the experienced Naperville personal injury lawyers on your side . contact 844 See Mike today for a free consultation. We are a Naperville-based injury law firm, and helping our clients is about counseling, advocating, and ultimately solving problems. With years of experience successfully representing the people and not the powerful, we will file your claim and take care of the insurance company, medical bills, property damage, and lost income. We will handle your case quickly and advise you every step of the way, and we will not hesitate to go to trial for you. Lastly, our personal injury lawyers are not paid attorney fees unless we win your case. Our no-fee promise is that simple. You have nothing to risk when you hire us – only the opportunity to seek justice.
