The Types of Brain Injuries and Levels of Severity

Types of Brain Injuries

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

June 5, 2023

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURIES AND INTENSITY VARIATIONS

The phrase “brain injury” encompasses a wide range of injuries to the brain, skull, and scalp. The kind of injury, the location of the injury, and the degree of the brain damage will all play a role in the potential problems and therapies.

The following material explains the many forms of brain injuries as well as the various degrees of severity. This knowledge is essential for understanding a personal injury case involving brain damage since both physicians and insurance adjusters will use these phrases often while dealing with your issue.

If you’ve had brain damage as a result of an accident, you’ll need a lawyer on your side who can help you get the most money possible. These are life-altering injuries, and you need someone on your side who can allow you to acquire the cash you need to rebuild your life after a significant TBI.

For additional information, call the brain injury lawyers Warrior Car Accident Lawyers at 719- 300-1100 or fill out our private contact form.

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TBIS COME IN A VARIETY OF SHAPES AND SIZES

TBIs are divided into four categories. Concussion, contusion, penetrating damage, and anoxic brain injury are the four types.

Concussions are a kind of concussion that occurs.

A concussion is mild brain damage caused by shaking, a head hit, or a fast change in movement, such as whiplash. Concussions are often difficult to detect using imaging tests, but they should still be taken seriously and treated as such.

Concussions may result in headaches, focus issues, memory loss, and disorientation. Concussions are incredibly harmful if you have more than one overtime or get another one before the first recovers. See Second Impact Syndrome for further information.

BRAIN INJURIES

A bruise of the brain tissue, similar to a bruise on the skin, is known as a brain contusion. They are created by the shattering and spilling of tiny blood vessels, much like any other bruise. This seeping blood beneath the skin generates blue coloration; on the brain, the leaking causes a variety of difficulties, most of which are related to a buildup of pressure.

Any trauma to the head might result in a brain contusion. Discoloration may occur in a car accident when the head collides with the steering wheel, in a slip and fall when the head collides with the ground, or in a sports-related injury when the brain is impacted hard.

The brain may be injured immediately beneath the point of impact, on the other side of the point of contact when the brain slams against the opposing side of the skull, or both during

the impact that creates a brain contusion. These variations in damage location are known as coup and contrecoup injuries.

Contusions, like concussions, may vary in severity from moderate to life-threatening. Severe concussions might result in loss of consciousness, bewilderment, exhaustion, emotional anguish, or agitation. Severe contusions may cause the brain to enlarge, impair oxygenation, and have other significant implications.

INJURIES TO THE BRAIN THAT PENETRATE THE SKULL

When an item pierces through the skull, it causes a penetrating brain injury. The item, or hair, skin, or portions of the skull, may come into touch with the brain as a result. Contact with the brain and force applied to it may significantly injury a concentrated or big area of the brain.

Any external force or item powerful enough to break through the skull may induce a penetrating brain injury, such as:

  • If you slip and fall, your skull may break.
  • A car accident in which something enters the skull and fractures it.
  • A gunshot wound to the head, which is the most common cause of TBI fatality.
  • Injuries caused by excessive force in sports

INJURIES TO THE BRAIN CAUSED BY ANOXIA

When the brain does not get enough oxygen to function correctly, anoxic brain damage ensues. Brain cells will begin to die, and brain injury will occur after just four to five minutes without enough oxygen. Because blood carries oxygen to the brain, anoxic brain injury is most often caused by a stoppage of this blood flow.

A blood clot, stroke, heart attack, or major trauma, among other things, might cause a blockage. It’s also conceivable that the amount of blood flowing to the brain is normal, but  the blood itself isn’t carrying enough oxygen. Poisoning, drowning, carbon monoxide  poisoning, choking, suffocation, or anything else that stops the lungs from taking in a normal  number of oxygen molecules might cause this to happen[3].

TBIs that aren’t listed above

DIFFUSE AXONAL INJURY (DAI) IS A KIND OF AXONAL INJURY.

A diffuse axonal injury (DAI) is similar to a concussion in that it occurs when the brain moves, but it is often much more devastating. The head moves so quickly with a DAI that the brain stem can’t keep up, causing rips in the brain-spinal cord connections. These rips may range in size from microscopic to enormous, causing varying degrees of brain injury.

Sufficient tears may have highly significant, life-long consequences or even be deadly.

The degree of symptoms from this sort of injury is mostly determined by the brain areas impacted, the severity of the tears, and if any other injuries were experienced as well, such as a contusion or concussion.

HYPOXIC BRAIN INJURIES ARE CAUSED BY A LACK OF OXYGEN IN THE BRAIN.

Hypoxic brain injury is one form of traumatic brain injury that happens when the brain gets some but not enough oxygen, causing damage. This is frequently accomplished by ineffective suffocation, such as near-drowning, near-hanging, cardiac arrest, carbon monoxide, or exposure to hazardous gases, which results in an inadequate decrease of oxygen to the lungs or blood to the brain.

Hypoxic-ischemic brain damage, also known as stationary hypoxia or ischemic insult, is one kind of hypoxic brain injury.

SYNDROME OF A SECOND IMPACT

A second brain injury after a first may produce much more catastrophic damage, just as a scab that has been reopened takes longer to heal. The consequence of second impact syndrome, also known as repeated traumatic brain injury, is dependent on the location of the damage, the severity of the initial injury, and the degree of stress received.

Even if the person does not lose consciousness, a second collision is more likely to produce significant brain injury than a first. Even if you feel OK, get medical attention if you receive  a hit to the head in the months after brain damage. Second concussions are often a quiet killer since both hits may look small at the time.

TBI LEVELS OF VARIOUS TYPES

Mild, moderate, and severe TBI injuries are the three most common types.

MILD TBI

A mild TBI is defined as a brief loss of consciousness that lasts just a few seconds  or minutes, if at all. A sufferer doesn’t need to lose consciousness; instead, they may look confused or disoriented. Medical testing may reveal that the brain was not injured in mild TBIs, but this is not always the case. This is why, while diagnosing mild TBIs and  concussions, clinicians pay particular attention to the victim’s mental functioning.

A mild TBI is defined by a loss of consciousness that may last up to a few hours, as well as disorientation that can linger for weeks. Complications from a mild TBI might linger for months or even be permanent. Physical, cognitive, or behavioral issues might all occur. To address these issues, a variety of therapy regimens will be required.

Severe brain damage

The most serious TBIs are caused by crushing impacts to the skull or penetration of the brain. This degree of injury is life-threatening, and the person will not be able to resume their previous lifestyle. While closed head injuries may cause significant brain damage, severe head trauma is usually caused by an open head injury in which the skull has been severely damaged.

Even if you think your brain damage is minor, you might still have significant and long-term consequences. You deserve support after any form of brain damage, and the brain injury attorneys Warrior Car Accident Lawyers, are here to help. We are well-  versed in the tactics used by insurance companies to lower their responsibilities, and we work relentlessly to combat them.

Our legal office has handled various brain injury cases and has  assisted injured accident victims in recovering millions of dollars after suffering brain  damage. All wounded accident victims are entitled to a free first consultation.

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) CONSEQUENCES

A person who has had a traumatic brain injury may have various debilitating symptoms or perhaps be in danger of losing their life in more severe circumstances. These injuries must be addressed carefully since they have a history of claiming lives.

Because traumatic brain injuries cause direct physical injury to the brain, they have devastating physical and  emotional repercussions. In addition to the major health risks that physical brain injury might  pose, cognitive function, personality, and mental state, in general, can all be severely injured.

Memory loss, emotional troubles, communication difficulty, sensory impairment, psychiatric diseases, and more are all examples of this.

What’s more, the effects of severe brain injuries are often permanent. There isn’t much that can be done to heal brain tissue that has been injured. People typically suffer for the rest of their life with the ramifications of brain damage.

That isn’t to suggest there isn’t still hope. Many things may be done to assist patients in controlling their symptoms and coping with the repercussions of a severe traumatic brain injury.

You should know that you are not alone if you have experienced impairment, pain, or suffering due to a brain injury. While you are attempting to recover from your injuries and reconstruct your life, you will need the assistance of an attorney from Warrior Car Accident Lawyers,  Accident Injury Lawyers, PA. We know how to make wrongdoers accountable for the injury they’ve caused, and we can assist you!

RECOVERING FROM A TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY

Although recovering from any sort of TBI might be difficult, it is possible to carry on with your life after a traumatic brain injury. There will undoubtedly be difficulties and setbacks, but many individuals have successfully navigated the path to TBI recovery.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR OPTIONS, CONTACT A COLORADO SPRINGS TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY LAWYER

TBIs are not all the same, and they may need specialist treatment and rehabilitation. People who think they’ve had a mild TBI, such as a concussion, should be aware that additional symptoms typically appear in the weeks after the injury.

These new symptoms should not be overlooked and should be discussed with a physician. Contacting a knowledgeable Colorado Springs brain injury attorney may assist you in receiving the care you need while also assisting you in litigating your TBI case.

An attorney who specializes in TBI law will be able to protect your rights. For a free first consultation, call Warrior Car Accident Lawyers at 719-300-1100 now.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries. You may get in touch with us in one of three ways:

Call 719-300-1100 to speak with Warrior Car Accident Lawyers. Fill out the online contact form.

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