According to the statistics provided by Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), approximately 3.6 million people in the United States suffer from a brain injury each year. This alarming statistic is compared to the 5.3 million men, women, and children in America who already live with a brain injury-related disability that affects their daily functionality. Are you recovering from a traumatic brain injury?
If so, help is available for you. Top-rated Florida personal injury attorneys can offer expert legal advice through a legal consultation.
Different Types of Traumatic Brain Injury
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, your brain is made up of a combination of fat, water, protein, salts, and carbohydrates that are protected through a thick layer of bone. The thick layer of bone, or your skull, keeps your brain safe from harm to protect brain function. Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) happen when severe impact disrupts brain function and can range from mild to severe to fatal, depending on how much damage your brain has suffered.
There are two main ways a traumatic brain injury can occur. Brain injuries can happen through a closed brain injury or a penetrating brain injury.
Closed Brain Injury
Closed brain injuries refer to brain injuries where the skull has not broken, and nothing is penetrating the brain. Closed brain injuries usually result from a rapid or unexpected movement that has caused your brain to bruise or swell. This type of brain injury usually happens during a car accident, sports, falls, or from severe shaking, i.e., shaking baby syndrome.
Penetrating Brain Injury
Penetrating brain injuries, unlike closed brain injuries, happen because a part of the skull has broken and the brain is exposed. Penetrating brain injuries can affect one small part of the brain or the entire brain. When penetrating brain injuries happen, the brain can be pierced from damage, causing severe injuries that can be permanent or fatal.
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What Is Diffuse Axonal Injury and How does It Happen?
When brain injuries occur, sometimes rapid movement can cause the brain to shift or move within your skull. When this happens, the brain’s nerve fibers, or axons, can tear or rip. The tearing of the brain’s axons causes severe side effects like coma or permanent damage to one part or the entire brain. Diffuse axonal injury can be detected by MRI.
Diffuse axonal injury usually only affects the white matter of your brain. Doctors will use the Glasgow coma scale (GCS) to test functionality by scoring your ability to open your eyes, speak, and move your arms and legs. Patients with diffuse axonal injury are usually very hurt and may or may not fully recover from this traumatic brain injury.
Primary and Secondary Brain Injuries
Primary and secondary brain injuries refer to the injury of the brain at the time of the accident and all of the changes that occur in the hours after the injury. Primary brain injuries occur at the time of the incident. Secondary brain injuries happen as the brain changes, and other issues like cerebral edema, skull fractures, and infections can happen.
Secondary brain injury can severely and permanently affect the brain. When a secondary brain injury occurs, brain tissue is destroyed, and brain damage changes the makeup of blood vessels and other vital components of the brain.
What Causes a Brain Injury and How Can a Personal Injury Lawyer Help Me?
Many factors can lead to a traumatic brain injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), traumatic brain injuries usually occur during accidents such as falls, motor vehicle crashes, fire-arm-related injuries, or assaults. While these incidents are the most common ways brain injuries happen, personal injury lawyers in Florida understand that anything can lead to traumatic brain damage.
For this reason, brain injury lawyers represent many types of TBI claims in Florida, such as:
- Car accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Bus accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Accidents in the workplace
- Construction site accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
Personal injury lawyers in Florida can help identify who is responsible for your accident and hold them accountable for their careless actions. If you’re recovering from a brain injury, talk to a brain injury lawyer to learn more about your options immediately.
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Who Could Be at Fault for a Brain Injury?
When a brain injury occurs, it is not always easy to determine who is at fault right away. Personal injury lawyers in Florida can investigate each party to determine their role and hold negligent parties accountable for their careless actions. Depending on how the injury happened, brain injury lawyers will investigate the following parties after a traumatic brain injury including:
- Truck, car, bus, and motorcycle drivers
- Trucking or shipping companies
- Property owners
- Government entities
- Doctors
- Other hospital staff
- Hospitals
- Auto technicians
- Cargo loaders
- Third-party vendors
- Other drivers
Hire a Brain Injury Lawyer in Florida
After a traumatic brain injury, you may not be sure where to turn. Life may feel very unfamiliar as you adjust to your new routine. You may be unable to find a suitable job.
If you’re recovering from a traumatic brain injury, don’t wait to get help. Get the payout you need by filing a claim with a Florida personal injury lawyer.
Call or text (239) 334-3933 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form