Brain Injuries

The brain is one of the most delicate organs of the body, yet incredibly susceptible to serious wounds in an accident. When a sudden physical impact affects this area, injuries can range from mild concussions to severe brain damage, coma, and sometimes even death.  These are called Traumatic Brain Injuries or TBI for short. 

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains statistical data concerning traumatic brain injury and concussions.  It lists the following as the top causes for these types of personal injury:

• Slip and falls
• Unintentional blunt trauma – getting hit with a falling item
• Motor vehicle accidents account for 14% of brain injuries.  They are also responsible for 26% of all deaths related to a traumatic brain injury.
• Brain injuries may occur as a result of physical assault.  Approximately 10% of all brain injuries were caused by violence.
• Medical malpractice may cause brain injuries.  Failure to properly monitor a patient, or accidental oxygen deprivation during a medical procedure may result in serious brain damage.
• Brain injuries also occur during sports such as football and even swimming.

Types of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

• Closed Head Injury- These are often the most common on type of TBI. They often happen in a car accident or slip and fall case when the neck jolts forward and backward. These injuries occur when the skull remains intact.  They often cause concussions, brain bleeds, pressure and swelling on the brain and other trauma.
• Penetrating Head Injury- this involves a fracture or break to the skull. This is common with slip and falls if you head hits the ground or if it is stuck by a foreign object.
• Blast Injury- this is usually caused as a result of an explosion

TBI’s are especially frightening for the victims. Their lives are changing, but often they aren’t even sure why.   Some symptoms to look for in a traumatic brain injury include:

• Cognitive difficulties such as having trouble concentrating, memory loss, confusion, or taking longer to process thoughts
• Personality Changes such as changes to behavior and moods
• Changes in vision and hearing such as sensitivity to light or ringing in the ears
• Changes in speech such as slurring words or trouble finding words
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Sleep Disturbance
• Nausea or unexplained Vomiting

Brain injuries are never predictable or identical to previous injuries or others’ brain injuries. The extent of the injury is not always apparent immediately and may not be diagnosed for some time. It is vital to seek medical attention immediately after a brain injury occurs. Moderate to severe TBIs can cause life-threatening symptoms that can turn fatal without medical intervention.

More severe TBIs can lead to serious symptoms, including severe confusion that requires medical attention, aggression, seizures, convulsions, internal bleeding, skull fracture, severe concussion, swelling of the brain, and even coma.

Hiring a specialized Scottsdale brain injury attorney is highly important as proving negligence in a brain injury case requires an investigation into the accident, including gathering relevant medical records, and recreating the event if necessary.

TBI’s are very frustrating for both the victim and a victim’s family.  The victim and family are often confused on why they cannot process or think like they used too or why their life has now been turned upside down. There are many rehabilitation and therapy programs available for TBI’s but these have to be chosen carefully in order to provide the best prospects of recovery.

Unfortunately medical bills in these cases can also be devastating for a family which is already under a great deal of stress. Often times TBI injuries may be longer lasting then physical injuries and sometimes even can be permanent.

The Law Office of A.J. Mitchell will help determine how the injury happened, who is liable for the injury, and what will be needed to properly compensate the victim.  Our Scottsdale firm has extensive experience with dealing with TBI claims and getting the best compensation for our clients.  We have a team of medical and economic experts that we use if your injuries are permanent to make sure you are fully compensated for the extent or your injuries.  We include medical expenses, lost income, loss of consortium (companionship), pain and suffering and any permanency to have your TBI claim properly evaluated.