A Guide To Traumatic Brain Injuries

Many personal injury claims involve head injuries, particularly traumatic brain injuries. Traumatic brain injuries are head injuries caused by jolts, blows, or force to the head and brain.  Head injuries can occur in motorcycle accidents and car accidents. These are complex claims and we wanted to share some information about them with you.

The head is complex. It contains delicate and vital structures. They include the cerebrum, brain stem, and cerebellum. Major brain injuries can occur even without visible evidence of a blow to the head. The effects of traumatic damage to those structures can be subtle, slow-developing, and difficult to diagnose.

Head injuries can be the result of high-impact motor vehicle crashes when the head hits the vehicle’s interior. There are two primary causes of traumatic brain injuries during these types of collisions. One is high rotational head accelerations caused by inertial loading, and the other is transfer of forces to the brain when the head hits the vehicle’s interior.

Inertial loading happens when the head is suddenly decelerated or accelerated. That causes the brain to shift inside the skull. That can cause shearing and stretching of brain tissues, leading to brain injury.

Head contact with the vehicle’s interior can also put force directly on brain tissues. The head might hit a headrest, seatback, or hard surface. The impact force on the brain can increase the injuries caused by inertial loading.

Traumatic brain injuries are complicated. They can vary from minor to severe, from mild concussions with temporary effects to severe, life-altering damage. Many victims of traumatic brain injuries will have lifelong medical needs, such as therapy and medical treatment to maintain cognitive functions and basic life skills.

Symptoms of a traumatic brain injury may not immediately appear. They may not be apparent until weeks or months after an accident. The early symptoms of a traumatic brain injury can include dizziness, loss of consciousness, headaches, confusion, memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mood changes (such as depression or irritability), impaired coordination, speech difficulties, language comprehension issues, seizures, and vision or hearing problems. The long-term effects of a traumatic brain injury may be, decreased cognitive abilities, problem-solving difficulties, personality changes, difficulties with memory, difficulties processing information, and effects on posture, appearance, and sensory organs.

With the complexity of traumatic brain injuries, victims of such will often require lengthy and extensive medical treatment and evaluations. There will problem be a variety of medical tests. That might include answering a series of medical-related questions and imaging tests such as CT scans and MRIs.

Oftentimes, as with other types of major, lifelong injuries, testimony from the victim and the victim’s close friends and family members will be an important part of any claim involving a traumatic brain injury. The medical records and medical testimony can tell part of the victim’s story, but that’s usually cold and clinical. Testimony from the victim and friends and family members can help bring the medical evidence to life by describing how the victim was before the traumatic brain injury, what the victim’s like now, and how the injury affects the victim’s daily life.