Many accidents result in serious head trauma and injuries to the brain. We’d like to examine the issue of brain injuries and why we take these matters so seriously.
What Is a Brain Injury?
A brain injury refers to any sort of trauma that the brain sustains during a serious injury. This covers concussions (in which the brain strikes the inside of the skull) as well as more serious kinds of brain injuries.
These kinds of injuries can have long-lasting effects on an injury victim’s life, affecting motor skills, cognition, mood, and memory. This is why we always take these kinds of injuries seriously.
Potential Causes of Brain Injuries
Brain injury may be the result of any of the following:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Bike or pedestrian accidents
- Physical assaults and altercations
- Workplace injuries
- Serious falls
- Medical and surgical mistakes
- Military and combat injuries
- Contact sports and combat sports
Classifying Head Injuries
Different kinds of head trauma can lead to different kinds of brain injuries. Broadly, there are two kinds of head injuries that may occur:
- Open Head Injuries – Open head injuries refer to cases in which an object penetrates the skull and enters the brain.
- Closed Head Injuries – Closed head injuries refer to cases in which the skull is not penetrated but the brain may still be harmed.
Categories of Brain Injuries
There are two general categories for brain injuries to consider:
- Acquired Brain Injury – These are brain injuries that are the result of external forces and trauma
- Non-Traumatic Brain Injury – These are brain injuries that are the result of non-external factors, such as infections, strokes, and other systemic conditions
Primary Brain Injury and Secondary Brain Injury
Following trauma to the brain, one must consider the nature of the damage done following the initial incident. This is classified as primary brain injury and secondary brain injury.
- Primary Brain Injury – This refers to damage to the brain tissue that occurs as a result of the initial trauma. This means bruises and hemorrhages of the brain as a direct result of a serious auto accident, for instance.
- Secondary Brain Injury – This refers to issues that arise hours or even days after the initial trauma was sustained. These are often issues that are a result of the primary brain injury. Some examples include swelling of the brain and low oxygen in the brain.
How an Attorney Can Help You
Given that a serious brain injury can have long-lasting repercussions on your life and the lives of your loved ones, it’s of the utmost importance that you team up with a skilled attorney following any sort of serious head injury. We will fight to ensure that you medical expenses are covered and will also help you receive just compensation to account for the many potential challenges ahead.
Contact Joe Horrox Law
For more information about your legal options after suffering a serious brain injury, be sure to contact our personal injury law firm today. The legal team at Joe Horrox Law will help you in your time of legal need.