According to reports issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 1.7 million people in the United States sustain traumatic brain injury every year.
According to reports issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 1.7 million people in the United States sustain traumatic brain injury every year.
Out of these, 52,000 result in death while 275,000 people are hospitalized. 1.365, or almost 80%, are treated and released from hospital emergency departments (ED). 30.5%, or a third, of all injury-related deaths in the US are caused by TBI. Approximately 75% of TBIs that take place each year are concussions or other forms of MTBI, or mild traumatic brain injury.
Brain injuries are typically divided into two broad categories – acquired brain injury and traumatic injury. Traumatic brain injuries occur when an external force is applied to the head and acquired brain injuries are caused by other conditions including disease, tumors, stroke, oxygen deprivation, and toxin exposure.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries may be open (skull fracture) or closed. They are caused by the application of an external force to the head. In most instances, these types of brain injuries are the basis of personal injury cases (motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall, etc.), criminal cases (assault and battery) and accidents that occur in the workplace. Traumatic brain injuries include contusions, concussions, penetration injuries, and diffuse axonal injuries.
Concussion – This is the most common type of TBI and is caused by direct impact trauma to the head whether it is by getting kicked, punched or shot, falling, whiplash in a car and a wide range of other incidences. Although concussions often come with loss of consciousness, it is not necessarily a result of a concussion. You can suffer a concussion with symptoms that are not obvious – dizziness, confusion, foggy mind, etc. Severe concussions can cause permanent damage.
Contusion – Like concussions, contusions are a result of direct impact trauma to the head. It is essentially localized bleeding in the brain. Doctors may need to perform a surgery to remove contusions, as blood clot can form at the contusion site, which can be fatal. Contusions can also occur in areas other than the direct impact site. A certain type of contusion known as coup-contrecoup contusion occurs when the impact force is so great that it causes the brain to slam against the opposite side of the skull. This causes a second contusion on the second point of impact.
Penetration Injuries – This type of TBI is caused by sharp objects that penetrate the skull and the brain. When something goes through the brain, there may be loss of tissue (which exits the skull), tearing, shearing, and rupturing of accessory tissue. This may result in significant long-term effects or in some cases, fatal.
Diffuse Axonal Injuries – This type of TBI is caused by rotational forces or severe shaking, which teas brain structures as the edges of the brain is sheared by the skull. Neuro-chemical disruptions occur throughout the brain due to this tearing. This in turn may lead to coma, brain damage or death.
If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to your doctor’s negligence, you should approach and take the help of a skilled and experienced medical malpractice attorney at RMFW Law at 212-344-1000. You can get a free consultation to discuss the facts of your case if you call us.
What is your side of the story? What really happened? We want to hear what you have to say. We need to know your version of the events. We know how to win cases. RMFW Law has been winning cases for many years now. We know how to attack the other side and with your help, the other side will not know what hit them. Call us today!
