Brain injuries are generally defined as an injury sustained to the brain tissue and nerves of the brain as a result of trauma to the head or greater cranial region.
While there can be many different causes of a brain injury, in most instances serious brain injuries are known to be some of the most traumatic injuries that an individual can suffer.
If you or someone you love has suffered an injury to the brain, the victim may be eligible to receive compensation for their injuries - which can include coverage for medical treatment costs, loss of wages, pain and suffering and other related expenses.
Here at Greg Coleman Law, we are compassionate to injury victims and our skilled team of attorneys can help to explore the available legal options to those throughout the state of Tennessee.
To learn more, simply fill out the "Free Case Review" form located to the right.
Causes of Brain Injury
Approximately 1.5 million brain injuries occur annually, with about 80,000 of these injuries causing permanent disability to those that receive them. In fact, almost half of all brain injury accidents that occur annually are caused either by an auto collision or a slip and fall accident.
Often causing serious and permanent neurological damage, a brain injury can be the result of negligence, recklessness or intentional actions.
Some other common causes of brain damage injuries include:
- Sports-related accidents
- Firearm injuries
- Medical malpractice
- Defective products
- Pharmaceutical errors
- Motorcycle accidents
- Truck crashes
.... amongst many others.
It's important for any injury victim to seek urgent medical care to ensure that any damage is minimized as quickly as possible.
Symptoms of Brain Injury
Brain injury symptoms can vary, depending on the severity of the injury and where the point of impact was on the head.
However, some common symptoms from a mild brain injury can include:
- Confusion or unconsciousness for a short period of time (usually less than 30 minutes)
- Difficulty concentrating
- Headache
- Concussion
- Blurry vision
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
By comparison, a serious brain injury victim may exhibit symptoms such as:
- Seizures
- Emotional irritability
- Memory loss
- Loss of coordination and basic motor skills
- Abnormal speech
- Vomiting and nausea
- Unconsciousness for an extended period of time (more than 30 minutes)
As with any emergency situation, calling 9-1-1 and alerting them of the injury will generally ensure that a medical practitioner will be quickly dispatched to the scene to assess the extent of the injuries.
Types of Brain Injuries
There are five primary types of brain injuries that victims are generally classified under. While the severity of each can vary from case to case, these main types help provide medical staff with guide as to the extent of the injuries.
This list consists of:
- Concussion A concussion is defined as temporary unconsciousness after a blow to the head. Concussions are typically the least severe type of brain injury.
- Contusion A contusion is a bruising of brain tissue.
- Diffuse Axonal A diffuse axonal injury (or DAI) is a major factor in a brain injury victims state of consciousness. The difference between a DAI and any other form of brain injury is that it is widespread, rather than focal. A DAI can occur in any type of brain injury, regardless of severity.
- Coup-Contrecoup A coup brain injury occurs where the head came in contact with an object. A contrecoup brain injury occurs on the opposite side of impact.
- Recurrent Traumatic Brain Injuries Most common in sports-related brain injuries, recurrent traumatic brain injuries refer to when an individual suffers from multiple brain injuries. The severity of a second or third impact is magnified, and both neurological and cognitive functions are often seriously impaired.
While some brain injury sufferers are known to recover from their initial injuries - especially sports related injuries - it has been established that in many instances, other brain related illnesses can return at a later stage in the victims life.
Contact a Tennessee Brain Injury Lawyer
A brain injury is often traumatic for all those involved, regardless of their severity. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain damage injury in Tennessee due to no fault of your own, you are not alone.
Contact the Tennessee brain injury lawyers here at Greg Coleman Law today for a free case evaluation. Having won hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for our clients, the personal injury team at our firm have the knowledge and determination to fight for your MAXIMUM injury compensation.
Begin exploring your legal options by contacting us at 1-800-HURT-NOW (1-800-487-8669) and a member from our intake team will quickly connect you an attorney at our firm that is best suited to handle your specific case.
To start immediately, simply fill out the "Free Case Review" form at the top of this page.
