According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury. These injuries can be mild, moderate, or severe. Other common forms of traumatic brain injury include contusions, coup/contrecoup, diffuse axonal injuries, and blood clots or infections that lead to swelling of the brain.
All of these injuries can lead to physical damage, bruising, and/or bleeding of the brain, and they can all be caused by high-impact accidents or blunt force trauma to the brain, like in a car accident. Machine accidents and violence can also lead to brain injuries, including concussions and skull penetration injuries. However, more people are treated for concussions than any other type of traumatic brain injury every year.
Common Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Some common causes of traumatic brain injuries are:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Medical negligence, malpractice, or treatment errors
- Violence
- Blunt force trauma to the brain from objects, materials, or machinery
- Sports and outdoor activities
- Birth injuries
Differentiating Between Different Brain Injuries
In many cases, concussions may lead to short-term unconsciousness and pain, as well as memory issues, along with sensory or cognitive issues that can last for days, weeks, or months, depending on the severity of your injuries.
However, severe blows to the head and internal issues within the brain can lead to the following injuries as well.
- Contusions: these are bruises, and the brain can become bruised by an impact or as a result of brain swelling
- Diffuse axonal injuries: these are when the tissues of the brain are torn or severed
- Penetration: the skull can be penetrated, and the brain can sustain an injury at or near the site of entry of a foreign object
- Blood clots: blood clots can lead to a stroke, brain swelling, and the death of brain cells
If you were involved in an accident and sustained a traumatic brain injury, your doctor will attempt to diagnose your injury by assessing the symptoms you exhibit. Concussions and other brain injuries can lead to the following symptoms.
- Seizures
- Fluid buildup in the brain
- Blood vessel damage
- Infections
- Vertigo
- Balance issues
- Facial paralysis
- Blurred vision
- Poor hand-eye coordination
- Difficulty remembering things
- An inability to focus
- Trouble with decision-making
- Difficulty speaking or being understood
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Mood swings
Recovering from a Concussion
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, most studies suggest that brain cells do not regenerate once they are destroyed or damaged. In younger people, however, healthy parts of the brain can potentially make up for the injuries sustained in other parts of the brain. With that, how much you may be able to recover after an accident will depend on many factors, including your age and the severity of your injuries.
When it comes to concussions, many victims can return to their normal activities within about two weeks of suffering a mild concussion. If you suffer a severe concussion, you may take several months to fully recover. During this time, your injuries can prevent you from working and performing basic tasks. They can also affect your ability to communicate.
Treating Traumatic Brain Injuries
Depending on how you were injured, your brain injury treatment protocol will likely aim to help you learn or re-learn:
- Self-care skills
- How to feed, groom, and dress
- Taking care of physical needs
- Using mobility devices or adjusting to walking
- Communicating
- Socializing
- Developing work skills
- Managing pain
- Identifying psychological and physiological problems
- Identifying emotional, cognitive, and emotional issues
- Managing your recovery with your family
These treatments can take months or longer to lead to measurable improvements, all at considerable expense to you. If you have suffered a concussion or a severe brain injury because of someone else’s actions, you may wish to speak with an attorney to assess the options you have for seeking compensation.
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Contact The Fitch Law Firm LLC today at (614) 545-3930 for assistance with your traumatic brain injury case. Even though concussions are the most common type of traumatic brain injury, brain injuries can cause a great deal of pain and suffering irrespective of their severity. They also tend to be very expensive to treat. Contact us today for a free case evaluation. We can help you file for compensation if you have grounds for a claim.