Maryland Brain Injury Lawyer

What Is a Brain Injury?

A brain injury is an injury that changes the brain’s neuronal activity. The change affects the physical integrity, metabolic activity, and the functional ability of the brain. An acquired brain injury is the umbrella term for all brain injuries. According to the Brain Injury Association of America, there are two types of acquired brain injuries: traumatic brain injuries and nontraumatic brain injuries.

A traumatic brain injury is an alteration in brain function caused by an external force. A non-traumatic brain injury is caused internally. Lack of oxygen, brain tumors, and a brain bleed can all cause a nontraumatic brain injury.

Both traumatic and nontraumatic brain injuries can cause life-altering consequences for the victim. Recovery can take anywhere from a few weeks to several years, if recovery is possible at all.

What Are the Different Types of Brain Injuries?

There are many different types of brain injuries a victim can suffer. It is important to note that many are invisible to the naked eye. However, just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there. It is vital to seek medical attention immediately, as symptoms may develop or worsen over time.

The different types of brain injuries are:

• Closed head injuries: These injuries occur when there is a nonpenetrating injury to the brain without a break in the skull. A rapid back-and-forth movement of the brain causes brain tissue tears and bruising. Closed head injuries include concussions, contusions, diffuse axonal injuries, and intracranial hematomas.
• Open head injuries: These injuries are also known as penetrating injuries. It is when an outside force breaks the skull and causes damage to the brain. Bullets, shrapnel, and other weapons can cause open-head injuries.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI): A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, is caused by a forceful blow, bump, or jolt to the head. Not all brain injuries are classified as traumatic brain injuries. However, traumatic brain injuries will always be classified as closed-head injuries or open-head injuries.
• Primary brain injury: This is a sudden and profound brain injury that happens right at the time of impact. For example, if someone is injured in a car accident, they would likely experience a primary brain injury at the time of the accident.
• Secondary brain injury: This type of injury evolves over hours or days after the initial injury. Changes in the brain continue to develop and destroy the brain after the primary injury happens. For example, if someone suffers a stroke, the damage to the brain may evolve rather than all at once.

What Types of Accidents Cause Brain Injuries?

Any serious accident can cause a brain injury. However, several common causes can lead to a personal injury lawsuit. The most common types of accidents that can cause a brain injury are:

• Slip and fall accidents: A slip and fall accident is when someone loses their footing or stumbles, causing them to fall to the ground. Slip and fall accidents are the single most common causes of brain injury. The victim’s head may strike a hard surface such as a table, countertop, or piece of furniture on the way down, causing trauma to the scalp, skull, or brain.
• Car accidents: Car accidents are another common cause of brain injury. These accidents may involve regular passenger cars, pedestrians, motorcycles, and bicycles. A car accident victim may suffer skull fractures from being thrown from the vehicle or from hitting the steering wheel or other part of the car.
• Violence and assault: Unfortunately, another major cause of head injury is violence and physical assault. Brain injury victims may have been attacked during a robbery, rape, carjacking, or domestic violence episode. Abusive head trauma, otherwise known as shaken baby syndrome, is a severe form of child abuse that results in severe injuries to the child’s brain.
• Sports injuries: A sports-related concussion can be caused by a direct blow to the head, face, neck, or somewhere else on the body that sends an “impulsive” force to the head. When a person suffers a sports-related concussion there can be rapid onset symptoms like loss of consciousness. However, there are long term effects that may take days, weeks, months, or years to present themselves. Victims may suffer long term cognitive changes, neurological damage, memory loss, and even coma.
• Birth injuries: Head injuries are the most common type of birth injuries. In the United States, birth injuries occur in about 25 out of every 1,000 hospital births. The most common of these injuries are minor scalp injuries that leave no lasting effect. However, the misuse of forceps, vacuums, and other delivery techniques can lead to serious injuries that can cause permanent damage to the newborn. Childbirth injuries are a form of medical malpractice. The Regan Zambri Long medical malpractice attorneys can help recover compensation for your financial losses.
• Nursing home injuries: Elderly people (around 75 years and older) are the most susceptible to brain injuries. In fact, the CDC reports around 260 per 100,000 people suffering from TBI’s are above the age of 75. TBIs require specialized care, which many nursing home facilities do not provide. In the worst cases, the elderly are neglected and abused, which can either cause head injuries or make them worse.

If you sustained an injury from one of these accidents, contact the Regan Zambri Long Maryland brain injury lawyers today. We will hold the liable parties accountable and ensure you secure maximum financial compensation.