HEAD INJURY LAWYER

Over 1 million people fall victim to head injuries each year in the United States alone. Severe traumatic brain injuries can leave victims debilitated, suffering from brain damage, permanent disability, and even death. A head injury involves severe impact to the most sensitive organ of the body—the brain. A blunt blow to the head is the most common type of brain injury, causing the brain to bruise, swell, or tear. Anoxic brain injuries are caused by a prolonged lack of oxygen, causing the nerve cells (called neurons) to die.

There are three main types of sever traumatic brain injuries (TBS):

1. Tearing occurs when the body suddenly collides with another object, as in a baseball bat hitting the skull. This impact may cause small tears in the brain tissue and cause significant brain damage. Unfortunately MRI scans and x-rays do not always catch these injuries, so a head injury victim may be given a clean bill of health, yet be seriously injured.
2. Bruising is also caused by intense impact to the skull. The soft tissue of the brain is forced into the hard outer layer of the skull, potentially rupturing blood vessels. When blood vessels burst, blood escapes to parts of the brain unsuitable for blood. This will cause pressure within the brain, resulting in parts of the brain to stop functioning. Any part of the brain shutting down can cause perilous injuries to cognitive and motor functions.
3. Swelling of the brain can be life-threatening. When the brain swells from an injury caused by severe impact or a blunt object, it has nowhere to expand and relieve pressure. It is forced against the hard bone of the skull, causing severe pain and brain damage from the pressure.

Anoxic brain injuries offer similar traumatic results to the mind and body. Disturbing or limiting the intake of oxygen to the body causes the death of brain cells. Brain cells can never be reborn, so their loss could lead to permanent mental and physical damage. Anoxic brain injuries may occur as a result of drowning, strangulation, choking, and other forms of respiratory limitations. Since the brain requires oxygen, and therefore blood, to function, lack thereof leads to serious consequences.

Severe head injuries can be classified as either closed or penetrating. A closed wound may be a bruise, where the brain is not exposed to outside air or material. Open wounds, like those caused by bullets and sharp objects impacting the skull, can lead to even more serious complications.

Learning basic first aid and how to recognize head injuries may save another’s life. If you or a loved one have suffered from a severe head injury, call 911 as soon as possible. While damage may only appear minimal from the surface, the brain is a delicate organ that can be permanently damaged from only the slightest of surface injuries.