What is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are among the most common serious injuries reported in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), concussions and TBIs are a ‘silent epidemic.’ There are approximately 4.5 million TBIs nationwide each year. Nearly 225,000 brain-injured victims require extended hospitalization and, tragically, 60,000 lose their lives.
You may be wondering: What is a traumatic brain injury? The short answer is that it is a diagnosed head injury that always requires immediate medical attention, but that often varies in its severity. Here, our Oakland personal injury lawyers at Bracamontes & Vlasak provide an overview of the most important things to know about traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and personal injury claims in California.
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI): Defined
As defined by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a TBI is a “form of acquired brain injury that occurs when a sudden trauma causes damage to the brain.” Most often, these types of injuries happen when a person’s head (or whole-body) is suddenly and forcefully jolted causing their brain to bounce off of their skull. Though, TBIs can occur in other ways as well, including due to penetration of the skull or due to toxic exposure.
Know the Signs and Symptoms of a TBI
TBIs are challenging to diagnose and treat. These injuries can vary widely based on their severity and the exact part of the brain that was affected by the impact. To make matters even more difficult, a TBI will frequently occur with a delayed onset. A person may actually feel far worse 72 hours after than they did after the immediate impact. All brain injuries require prompt medical care. You should watch out for the following signs and symptoms of a serious concussion:
- Severe headache
- Sudden confusion/disorientation
- Feelings of dizziness or nausea
- Short-term memory problems
- Eyesight issues, including pupil dilation
- Unusual issues with coordination
- Loss of consciousness
Brain Injuries Can Occur in Many Types of Accident
Head trauma can happen in a wide range of different accidents. It does not even take a direct blow to the head for a person to suffer a serious traumatic brain injury. Some of the leading causes of concussions and other brain injuries include:
- Automobile collisions
- Truck accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Pedestrians collisions
- Bike accidents
- Slip and falls
- Other fall accidents
- Sports injuries
- Workplace accidents
Following an accident, victims need to pay medical bills, cover lost wages, access rehabilitative treatments/therapies, and support their families. Our Bay Area TBI lawyers are strong, results-focused advocates for victims and their families. We help victims secure compensation.
Call Our California Brain Injury Attorneys Today
At Bracamontes & Vlasak, our Oakland & San Francisco personal injury lawyers have the skills and experience to handle concussion and TBI claims. If you or a loved one sustained a brain injury in an accident, our legal team is here to help. Call us at (415) 835-6777 to set up your free, no-obligation case evaluation. We handle concussion and TBI claims in Oakland, San Francisco, and throughout the Bay Area.
