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Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the United States. The TBI Surveillance Report points out five classifications of the cause of traumatic brain injury.
- Falls
- Motor vehicle crashes
- Struck by or against an object
- Intentional self-harm
- Assault
Between the years 2017-2018, the main cause of TBIs was due to falls at an incidence rate of 52%, and the second cause was motor vehicle crashes with a 20% incidence rate.
Types of Brain Injuries
The types of brain injuries are categorized into primary and secondary.
Primary Injuries
Among the primary lesions, which appear immediately after a traumatic event are:
- The Concussion or Shock. These injuries occur by a blow to the head against the steering wheel, dash, or another object inside or outside the vehicle in a car accident. Symptoms of a concussion are a pain in the affected area, dizziness, vomiting, vertigo, ringing in the ears, trouble speaking, tiredness, shock.
- Brain Contusion. These injuries are hematomas in the brain itself. They are the result of an impact on the head by an object. Symptoms of a contusion are internal bleeding, loss of consciousness, memory loss, fuzzy thinking, difficulty when stringing sentences or even words, lack of coordination and balance, numbness, and pain in the affected area of the head.
- Fracture. These injuries are bone breakage/crack in the skull. The symptoms are pain, bleeding from the nose or ears, bruises around the eyes and ears.
- Diffuse Axonal Injuries. These injuries are damage to the brain caused by a sudden movement of acceleration and deceleration forces, causing a rotation of the brain inside the skull. This rotation is due to the tear of axonal nerves, which connect neurons to other neurons or glands.
- Cerebral Lacerations. These injuries are tears in the brain tissue caused by the penetration of an external object or skull fragments due to the blow caused by accidents like car crashes.
Secondary Injuries
Secondary injuries arise gradually after trauma has occurred, these injuries can be defined as long-term serious injuries and include the following symptoms:
- Brain Edema. This injure are the swelling of the brain caused by head injuries when blood vessels rupture causing a brain hemorrhage.
- Intracranial Hypertension. This injure are the Increased Pressure of the Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) within the Cranial Cavity. These injuries can be a long-lasting problem for the patient.
- Epilepsy. This is an abnormal electrical brain activity that produces seizures; involuntary movements of the body and/or loss of consciousness. Other injuries may occur at the time of the seizure such as biting your tongue or bangs on the head and body.
- Intracranial infection. This occurs as a result of injuries that get infected. Bacteria and fungi can grow in brain abscesses, which causes inflammation and accumulation of white blood cells.
In addition to these symptoms, the affected person may have abnormal blood pressure fluctuations, bruising, low sodium, anemia, clotting problems, heart and lung problems.
People who have suffered a brain injury as a result of a car crash often have cognitive and communication dysfunctions that may significantly affect their quality of life.
If you or someone you know has suffered a brain injury after a car accident, do not hesitate to contact Unidos Legales. Contact an experienced TBI lawyer , who will help you handle your case and get you the compensation you deserve.