Kenneth Goldblatt | October 20, 2018 | Personal Injury
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury? How Is it Caused?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be a life-altering event for the injury sufferer and their families. Atraumatic brain injury may cause the injured to experience difficulty continuing to work, learn, and participate in the activities that they enjoyed before the injury.
A traumatic brain injury may involve any combination of these conditions:
- Damage to the brain cells, tissue, and associated material at the site of impact
- A concussion, where the brain gets jostled, bruised, or damaged within the skull during an impact.
- Penetration of the skull and underlying tissues that damages cells, blood supplies, and bone structures that support and protect the brain.
- Bleeding within or around the brain tissues caused by an impact or stroke.
- Swelling of the brain within the skull by disease or injury elsewhere in the body.
A traumatic brain injury may be caused by:
Falls—falls occur when someone trips on something, falls out of bed or down stairs, in the bathtub, or on ice or wet pavement. A TBI can occur when a fall results in an impact to the head by a blunt object (like a stair bannister or pavement).
Collisions—cars, bicycles, skateboards and skis may be a part of an active lifestyle, but they also present risks for a brain injury because of a collision. Bike helmets have become a popular accessory and for good reason; they help prevent injuries during a collision.
Violence—traumatic brain injuries can be the result of violence inflicted on someone. Gunshot wounds, blunt force trauma, shaking, and physical abuse represent about 20% of traumatic brain injury cases.
Sports—participating in a physical activity like sports may involve high-impact contact, whether by accident or by design. Without adequate protection, traumatic brain injuries can occur. A timely example is the concern in pro football about the lasting effects of concussions on players.
Combat/terrorism—active duty personnel of the armed forces, whether stationed at home or somewhere around the globe, are commonly affected by explosions from ordnance during training or from the enemy while in battle. The pressures exerted by the force of a blast can be damaging to brain tissues from a considerable distance and even with protection.
People suffering from a traumatic brain injury may need to depend on the help of their families, friends, and coworkers to overcome the challenges presented by the injury. A friend to anyone who has suffered a traumatic brain injury are the brain injury lawyers of Goldblatt & Associates, P.C.
Located in Peekskill, NY, the orthopedic & brain injury law group of Goldblatt & Associates, P.C. represents the legal interests of those individuals who have sustained traumatic orthopedic and brain injuries due to the negligence of others. In representing our clients, Goldblatt & Associates oversees and handles all aspects of insurance issues ranging from ensuring that a client’s medical bills are paid to assisting clients in getting reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses, including lost wages. We also pursue claims to compensate clients for injuries sustained that have impacted, and may continue to impact, their abilities to perform activities of daily living.
If you or someone you love is experiencing hardship because of a traumatic brain injury, know that Goldblatt & Associates is ready to listen and to help.