While injuries sustained in an accident can range in severity, traumatic brain injuries are the most devastating. These injuries can hinder a person’s ability to care for themselves, end someone’s career, and even permanently alter someone’s personality. Traumatic brain injuries adversely affect the patient and their family. Therefore, it is essential to understand how to manage traumatic brain injuries.

If you have suffered a brain injury in a traumatic accident in Orangevale, call our experienced brain injury lawyers at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Unfortunately, there are many different ways that a person can develop a traumatic brain injury. Among the most common causes of brain injuries are:

• Heavy Equipment: Individuals who work in the industry run the risk of developing many traumatic brain injuries. People who operate forklifts can have accidents that could cause trauma to the head. Construction workers could fall from a great height and impact the ground with their heads. For these reasons, everyone should make sure that they wear a helmet when operating heavy equipment.
• Vehicle Accidents: Whether it is an auto accident or a motorcycle accident, anyone involved in a crash has the potential to suffer head trauma. Motorcyclists could fall from their bikes and smack into the pavement. Drivers and car passengers could impact the window, steering wheel, or dashboard. Everyone should wear a seatbelt, and motorcycle riders should always wear helmets.
• Assault: Unfortunately, people can suffer from brain damage due to criminal activity. Gunshot wounds, knives, and baseball bats all have the potential to cause a significant amount of brain damage. Anyone who has suffered trauma to their head should seek medical attention quickly. The faster a brain injury is diagnosed, the quicker treatment can begin.

Almost every brain injury patient who visits the hospital will be assessed on the Glasgow Coma Scale. This scale was developed to quickly grade a patient’s injury severity without requiring advanced tests. The patient is awarded points based on their level of neurological function in the individual categories below. The components of the Glasgow Coma Scale are:

Eye Response:

1. No eye-opening response at all
2. The patient opens their eyes in response to pain
3. The patient opens their eyes in response to verbal commands
4. The patient opens their eyes spontaneously

Verbal Response:

1. No verbal response is given at all
2. The patient makes sounds that are not comprehensible
3. The patient speaks words that don’t go together
4. The patient speaks words but is confused and disoriented
5. The patient speaks in complete sentences and is oriented to the situation

Motor Response:

1. No motor response at all
2. Patient extends limbs to pain
3. The patient flexes limbs to pain
4. The patient withdraws from the pain
5. Patient localizes their pain
6. Patient obeys commands

A healthy person will have a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 15. A score of 13 or 14 is consistent with a mild brain injury, and a score of 9 to 12 indicates a moderate head injury. A patient with a score of 8 or less indicates a severe head injury.

Watch the following video for more on how traumatic brain injuries are treated with new treatments and technology.

Those who suffer a severe head injury due to intentional actions, reckless conduct, or negligent behavior should not deal with the consequences alone. Patients and their families have a legal right to seek compensation to help pay for the impacts of such a severe event. Whether it was a workplace oversight, construction mishap, or multi-car collision, the results can limit someone’s ability to care for their family. An experienced Orangevale brain injury lawyer can:

• Negotiate with insurance companies to ensure just compensation is awarded
• Discuss the potential career impacts of a brain injury with a patient’s employer
• Take the case to court, if necessary

Contact a compassionate, experienced Orangevale brain injury lawyer who understands what it takes to assist patients during one of the most challenging times.

If you or a loved one has developed a brain injury from a traumatic accident, please call our experienced Orangevale brain injury lawyers at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for friendly, free advice.

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^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 7.21.23] Image: By “sbtlneet” via Pixabay dr bw [CS 776]}