The extent to which traumatic brain injury is a factor in causing deaths following an injury is alarming. Thirty percent of deaths associated with an injury are attributed to brain damage. Hospital emergency rooms and other medical facilities across Texas and the rest of the country treat approximately 1.7 million people each year for symptoms related to a brain injury.
Brain trauma may result from any number of causes, including:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Products liability accidents
- Aviation accidents
Any activity that causes damage to the brain can produce a traumatic brain injury. The brain damage is usually classified as either primary or secondary. Damage that is directly caused by the impact to the head is primary damage. Secondary damage appears later and may include seizures, brain swelling or an increase in blood pressure within the skull.
The consequences, both short- and long-term, may include coma, amnesia, psychological disorders, impaired learning ability and communication difficulties. Depending upon their severity, the consequences of a brain injury may result in permanent disability or the need for long-term care.
Accurate diagnosis of the extent of brain damage attributable to a head injury can be difficult because doctors frequently must rely upon identifying the symptoms presented or reported by the accident victim or the victim’s family. Diagnostic tests may not reveal the severity of a brain injury, so the full extent of impairment or disability cannot be fully assessed.
Individuals who have suffered a head injury and brain trauma may be entitled to compensation under state law if it was caused by the negligence of another person or entity. Accident victims diagnosed with traumatic brain injury might benefit from a consultation with a Mesquite personal injury attorney in order to learn more about their rights to compensation for medical expenses and other damages.
