Traumatic Brain Injuries or TBI’s, can be one of the most frightening and life-changing injuries to happen to someone. Following a TBI, a brain injury victim will usually have long lasting obstacles to face for the rest of their life.
The cost of medical treatment for a brain injury can be quite expensive. A brain injury victim will most likely need medical treatment quickly after the accident that resulted in the injury and will continue to need it for many years after. If the accident that caused you or a loved one brain injury was the result of another person’s negligence or recklessness, you should not be left having to foot the bill for these expenses.
The Georgia brain injury lawyers at Butler Kahn have helped Georgia TBI victims recover the compensation they deserve for their injuries. Contact us today for a free and confidential consultation of your case.
Our brains are all we are—they control our personalities, our thoughts, and our actions. Our brains are also responsible for the mundane function of our bodies, from the regulation of blood pressure to the production of hormones. Because the brain is so important, it has three layers of protection: the skull, the meninges, and cerebrospinal fluid. Despite these three layers of protection, brain injuries can happen in car collisions. Any injury that affects the brain or skull has the potential to cause lasting complications.
What Are The Different Types Of Brain Injuries That Can Occur?
- Concussion A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that occurs when the head moves back and forth rapidly. This rapid movement causes the brain to move around inside the skull, damaging brain cells and causing cognitive changes. Often, concussions occur even in people who have no visible marks on his or her head. The rapid forward-and-back movement of the brain within the skull can cause the brain to compress against the inside of the skull, causing concussions and traumatic injuries. A CT scan can sometimes show this injury.
- Coup-Contrecoup In some collisions, the force of an impact causes the brain to move in the opposite direction and hit the other side of the skull. This is called a coup-contrecoup injury. When this type of injury occurs, the brain sustains damage in two places: the site of the original impact and the site where the brain hit the other side of the skull. In our practice, we often see people with coup- contrecoup injuries after serious motor vehicle accidents. This type of injury can also occur if you sustain a severe blow to the head.
- Basilar Skull Fractures Basilar skull fractures, also called basal fractures, are bone fractures that occur in the floor of the skull. A basilar fracture may be incomplete, in a straight line, or broken into three or more pieces. We help people who sustain basilar fractures as the result of vehicular accidents, physical violence, and falls from high places.
- Anoxic and Hypoxic Injuries An Anoxic injury occurs when the brain is completely deprived of oxygen, while hypoxic injury occurs when there is an inadequate oxygen supply. If your landlord doesn’t install carbon monoxide detectors in your home, for example, you can develop a hypoxic/anoxic injury after being exposed to carbon monoxide gas. If you are the victim of a violent attack, severe blood loss can deprive your brain of oxygen. Other causes of hypoxic/anoxic injury include electric shock, poisoning, suffocation, and drowning.
- Penetrating Injury A penetrating injury occurs when an object penetrates the “dura mater,” the outer membrane that protects the brain and spinal cord. If someone attacks you with a knife, the blade of the knife can penetrate the dura mater and injure your brain. We also see people with penetrating injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents. During a crash, it’s possible for a piece of metal or glass to break off the vehicle and pierce the protective covering of the brain.
- Compound Skull Fracture Compound fractures are similar to other types of skull fractures, except they involve splintering of the bone. Like depressed fractures, compound skull fractures often occur during serious vehiclular accidents, physical assaults, or falls.
- Contusion A contusion is a medical term for a bruise. In most cases, contusions aren’t cause for concern, but brain contusions are an exception. Because brain contusions form after an impact to the head, they can cause brain swelling, memory loss, and other serious symptoms. For example, falling from a great height can produce a strong enough impact to cause a brain contusion. We’ve also seen people develop brain contusions after hitting their heads during car accidents.
Depressed Skull Fracture
A depressed skull fracture occurs when one of the skull bones breaks and pushes in toward the brain. If you fall or hit your head during a car accident, it’s possible to sustain a depressed skull fracture. You can also sustain a depressed skull fracture if you are the victim of a physical assault.
Depressed Skull Fracture
A depressed skull fracture occurs when one of the skull bones breaks and pushes in toward the brain. If you fall or hit your head during a car accident, it’s possible to sustain a depressed skull fracture. You can also sustain a depressed skull fracture if you are the victim of a physical assault.What Are The Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury?
Brain injuries may cause the following symptoms:- Sleep disturbances
- Headache
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Mood swings
- Depression
- Nausea
- Decreased concentration
- Reduced attention span
- Memory problems
- Sensitivity to noise
- Sensitivity to light
- Anxiety
- Balance problems
- Difficulty making decisions
Brain injuries can also cause loss of consciousness, confusion for several days or weeks, long-term behavioral changes, and long-term cognitive deficits. Patients with severe brain injuries may fall into a coma, experience “akinetic mutism” or “locked-in syndrome,” or remain in a persistent vegetative state indefinitely. Akinetic mutism refers to the inability to speak or move. Patients experiencing locked-in syndrome are unable to move their bodies and most of their facial muscles, but they remain conscious and able to perform certain eye movements.
What Are Some of the Common Causes of Georgia Brain Injuries?
A Traumatic Brain Injury can be caused by any blow to the head which causes the brain to move inside the skull. Also, an impact to the body can also cause a Traumatic Brain Injury because the head whips back and forth. A brain injury can be caused by incidents such as:
What Are The Costs Associated With Brain and Head Injuries?
It can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide care for someone with a traumatic brain injury, and the cost of medical bills may go well into the millions if the injury is severe. These are just some of the expenses incurred by people with this type of injury:
- Hospitalization
- Physical therapy and occupational therapy
- Medications
- Durable medical equipment
- Disposable medical supplies
- Long-term care
Because brain injuries can cause mood swings and behavioral changes, some patients also need psychological evaluations and ongoing mental health counseling. When someone comes to our firm because of a brain injury that is the result of negligence, we know what to do. There is little we can do to reverse the damage, but there is a lot we can do to help prepare for the future.
Please be aware, the state of Georgia has a law known as the Statute of Limitations which imposes a time limit on personal injury cases, such as brain injuries. That time limit is two years. Two years may seem, at first glance, like a long time. But, to properly prepare for a personal injury lawsuit, your Georgia brain injury attorneys will perform a thorough investigation to collect all manner of evidence, police reports, medical evaluations from your doctors, just to name a few. This legal process takes time, so time is of the essence. So not delay. Contact our law office today.
You may be wondering if you should hire a lawyer after your accident. Please remember, brain injuries are unique injuries. Should you be having trouble remembering things, events, or other matters clearly, you should not try to handle your own case against an insurance company adjuster. Please note that insurance company adjusters have been trained to settle cases for as little as possible. Do not short-change yourself. The first step is to speak with a Georgia personal injury attorney.
Contact our Brain Injury Lawyers in Georgia For Help Today
A brain injury is not a matter to take lightly. You should not have to shoulder the cost associated with this injury alone. The personal injury lawyers at the Butler Kahn are ready to work hard to help you recover the compensation you are entitled to for your injuries. Please contact us today for a free and confidential consultation.
