A traumatic brain injury occurs when a blow to the head alters the neurological function of the central nervous system. Unlike other body parts, the neurons inside the brain may not regenerate after a severe injury. Therefore, everyone must understand some basic information regarding brain injuries and neurological damage.

Call our legal team at (707) 564-1900 for a free case evaluation if you were involved in an accident and suffered a severe head injury.

It is challenging for anyone, including medical professionals, to predict when, why, or how neurological damage might occur. However, a handful of common causes of head and brain injuries exist, and some of these include:

• Contact Sports: Any contact sport might lead to a severe brain injury. This includes football, soccer, lacrosse, and basketball.
• Accidents in the Workplace: Accidents often occur when people least expect them. A tumble down the stairs or a slip and fall injury may lead to a severe head injury. Those who work in manufacturing and construction are at an increased risk of a head injury.
• Motor Vehicle Collisions: Car accidents are a common cause of TBIs. An impact between the passenger and the door, window, steering wheel, or dashboard can lead to a life-threatening traumatic brain injury. A severe accident might also cause wrongful death.
• Pedestrian Accidents: Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable while crossing the road. A distracted driver might collide with a pedestrian, leading to catastrophic injuries.

The brain is responsible for nearly all of the body’s functions. Depending on the location of the injury within the brain, the injury can manifest in different ways. Some of the most common signs of a TBI include the following:

• A Loss of Consciousness: While not all TBIs will lead to a loss of consciousness, this is one of the most common symptoms. A severe blow to the head can cause someone to pass out.
• Chronic Headaches: Headaches that won’t disappear are a warning sign of a severe injury. Chronic headaches indicate that the brain is having trouble processing information and stimuli.
• Vomiting: If someone suffers a head injury, the pressure changes within the skull might cause someone to feel nauseous. Because of this, vomiting is one of the most common symptoms of a TBI.
• Mood Changes: The brain is responsible for an individual’s personality and emotions. Someone who suffers a head injury may appear more irritable. They might also quickly shift between happiness, sadness, anger, and excitement. This is called emotional lability.
• Weakness: Damage to certain parts of the brain may cause motor and sensory weakness. People might feel weak in their arms or legs, and they may also feel numb in certain parts of their body.

A severe TBI might cause all or some of these symptoms. Anyone suffering from the symptoms above should seek medical care immediately, especially after a severe accident. The faster a TBI is diagnosed, the quicker the treatment process can begin, which may lead to an improved prognosis.

Several steps are involved in diagnosing a traumatic brain injury. The first step will be to explore the symptoms discussed above. After this, the doctor will perform a physical exam. They will test the function of the brain. This might involve:

• A hearing test assesses whether or not the cranial nerves that feed the ears have been damaged.
• A visual test assesses whether changes in intracranial pressure have damaged the eyes.
• Testing the strength of the various muscle groups, looking for signs of motor nerve damage.
• Looking for areas of numbness or tingling, such as on the face, arms, legs, or torso, might indicate sensory nerve damage.
• Assessing other brain functions, including executive functioning, information processing, cerebellar function, and spatial coordination.

If the doctor is concerned that someone might have suffered a TBI, imaging scans might be following. This might include an x-ray, CT scan, or MRI. A CT scan is often performed first because it provides a three-dimensional image in a short amount of time. A CT scan might reveal skull fractures, a brain bleed, or signs of cerebral swelling. If a more detailed image is needed, an MRI is often next. The level of detail on an MRI is far better than a CT scan, but it also takes significantly longer. Therefore, an MRI is not often used in an emergency situation. Once the diagnosis is made, the treatment process can begin. With quick treatment, the prognosis of a TBI can be more favorable.

The treatment of a head injury will start as soon as the diagnosis is made. The comprehensive treatment of a traumatic brain injury might include the following:

• Medications: The doctor may use drugs to protect the brain from further damage. This includes blood pressure, intracranial pressure, swelling, and pain medications. Some of these medications might also be taken on a long-term basis.
• Surgery: In some situations, doctors might perform emergency surgery to prevent cerebral herniation. A cerebral herniation can be fatal.

In addition to medical and surgical management, long-term treatment might include physical therapy. This may help someone regain lost motor and sensory functions following a brain injury.

The video below shows the new technology and treatments for traumatic brain injuries.

If someone you love has suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident, you’ll need the guidance of an experienced Ukiah brain injury attorney. Call us for free, friendly legal advice at (707) 564-1900 or (800) 404-5400.

At AutoAccident.com, we have extensive experience handling brain injury cases for our clients throughout northern California, including Lake, Mendocino, and Sonoma counties.

Our injury lawyers understand the life-changing and severe effects of a brain injury. We are dedicated to helping you get full compensation for the hardships you have suffered from your brain injury.

See our past cases on our Verdicts and Settlements page.

^{Editor’s Note: updated [cha 9.7.23] Image by Weksart from Pixabay dr 0p cha [cs 1018]}