Types of Brain Injuries

At Bohn & Bohn, LLP, our attorneys have handled many severe personal injury cases throughout northern, southern, and central California, and we recommend that anyone with a head injury experiencing symptoms of brain injury seek out medical attention and undergo whatever testing may be necessary.  Brain imaging and other diagnostic testing can be expensive and may not initially be covered by insurance; it may take legal intervention to ensure that the injury victim receives the proper medical attention.

Common brain injuries include contusions and concussions, hemorrhages, and hematomas.  All of these conditions refer to bruising or bleeding or impact on the brain and can range from mild to moderate to severe.

Fractures

A skull fracture may be indicative of a brain injury, but it may also be the cause of a brain injury.  In a comminuted skull fracture, the bone is shattered into several fragments.  These fragments or splinters may lodge in the brain, causing bleeding and severe damage.  In a depressed skull fracture, the skull is pushed inward, and pieces of bone may press directly on the brain. 

ABI

Injuries to the brain can also occur due to illness, toxic exposure, trauma during birth, and hereditary or congenital defects.  Lack of oxygen to the brain, known as hypoxia, can occur in cases of medical malpractice due to mismanagement of anesthesia or a traumatic birth.  These types of injuries are sometimes referred to as acquired brain injury (ABI), as opposed to traumatic brain injury (TBI), which occurs as a result of some violent event.

TBI

TBI refers to a sudden trauma which damages the brain, and most often occurs as the result of motor vehicle accidents and falls.  Falls predominate in the older population, whose diminished reflexes and senses make them particularly susceptible to a slips, trips, or falls on a broken or icy sidewalk, unmarked step, or mislaid carpet.  Of automobile accidents, the type most likely to cause a TBI is a rollover in which the roof crushes in on top of the vehicle's occupants.  Poorly-designed vehicles, from the suspension to the tires, and cheaply-manufactured roofs make people susceptible to brain injury from the defective autos.

TBI can also occur from a violent shaking of the head, such as when a car suddenly stops, as in a rear-end or head-on collision.  In these instances, the brain can impact the inside of the skull, causing bruising.  Also, shearing forces can lacerate the vessels which supply blood to the brain, causing a buildup of fluid which in turn causes swelling or bruising on the brain.

Contact Us Today

If you have suffered a head injury and experience any signs or symptoms of brain injury, seek out comprehensive medical attention.  If you were injured in a traffic accident or other event caused by the negligence or wrongful acts of another, contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at Bohn & Bohn, LLP today for a free consultation regarding your claim.