BRAIN DAMAGE

Brain damage is a term commonly used to describe an injury to the brain. When brain damage is caused by an external factor, such as a car accident, a fall, an accident at a construction site, or a blow to the head, physicians refer to that as a traumatic brain injury. Traumatic brain injuries are classified as mild, moderate, or severe.

Contact Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C., to schedule a free consultation today.

Common Effects Of Brain Damage

Symptoms of mild brain damage or mild traumatic brain injury include:

• Disorientation
• Brief loss of consciousness
• Headaches
• Vomiting or nausea
• Dizziness
• Unusual sleep patterns (either difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much)
• Sensitivity to light or sound
• Ringing of the ears
• Blurred vision
• Metallic taste in mouth

Symptoms of moderate to severe brain damage or traumatic brain injury include:

• Loss of consciousness for an extended period of time
• Clear fluids coming out of the nose and/or ears
• Numbness in toes and fingers
• Slurred speech
• Erratic behavior
• Seizures or other uncontrolled muscle movements
• Any of the symptoms listed in the “mild” category

If you see evidence of any of these symptoms following a blow to the head, you should seek immediate emergency medical attention.

Facts About Brain Damage And Its Causes

The CDC states that there are approximately 1.7 million brain damage or traumatic brain injuries every year in the United States. Seventy-five percent (75%) of those brain damage or traumatic brain injuries involve a concussion or some other mild injury to the brain. Brain damage or traumatic brain injury is a contributing factor in all injury related deaths.

The top three causes of brain damage or traumatic brain injuries are: 1) Falls; 2) Motor Vehicle Accidents; and 3) Colliding with moving or stationary objects.

Not surprisingly, the CDC states that the elderly are particularly vulnerable to falls. With respect to adults over the age of 65 years old, one out of every three adults falls each year. Falls are the leading cause of injuries among this age group. 21,700 adults in this age category, died from falls in 2010.

While the elderly are vulnerable to falls, traumatic brain injury is the leading cause of death and disability in children across the nation, according to Boston’s Children Hospital. 62,000 children are hospitalized for brain damage or traumatic brain injury every year.

Brain Injury Resources

The CDC Injury Center has articles and research concerning brain damage and traumatic brain jury. They can be reached at www.cdc.gov/traumaticbrainjury

The Brain Injury Association of America has information for local support groups across the United States. You can obtain more information on their website at www.biausa.org

For veterans, more information concerning brain damage and traumatic brain jury can be obtained at Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center. Their website is www.dvbic.org

Do I Have A Case?

Whether or not a person or company is responsible for the brain damage or traumatic brain injury suffered is something that needs to be determined on a case-by-case basis. If you wish to know more about your options to recovery against a wrongdoer, you need to contact an experienced plaintiffs’ attorney as soon as possible. If a government entity is involved, you may have as little as 6 months to file a claim.

At Bracamontes & Vlasak, P.C., our brain damage and traumatic brain injury attorneys understand that you may not be able to come to the office and we will gladly come out to meet you personally to discuss your case. Our initial consultations are free and you are under no obligation to retain us. The vast majority of our cases are taken on a contingency fee basis, meaning we do not get paid unless you recover. We also forward the costs associated with the litigation.

For a free consultation concerning brain damage and traumatic brain injury, please contact BV Law today. You can also call us at 415.835.6777.