Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic Brain Injuries, or TBI’s as they are often referred to, are becoming of the fastest growing epidemics in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control, this catastrophic injury is a result in a blow to the head of varying degrees and each year over 2.5 million traumatic brain injuries occur which can lead to a wide range of complications ranging from short term unconsciousness to cognitive issues and even death.

A traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain has been disrupted to a certain degree either by a blow, bump, jolt or penetration. This brain disruption, depending on how significant it was can cause a laundry list of complications, both short term and long term.

Below are the two types of injuries that fall into the classification of a traumatic brain injury:

• Mild
  • Concussions are, for the most part, considered a mild traumatic brain injury. These are the most common types of TBI’s and often require minimal medical attention. Concussions are typically caused by a fall, blow or sudden jolt to the head which causes the brain to essentially rattle inside of your skull.
    • Symptoms of a concussion type of traumatic brain injury often will be both physical and mental and may include: sudden loss of consciousness, dizziness, naseau, sleepiness, difficulty thinking clearly or anxiousness. For a full list of symptoms visit the CDC website.
• Severe
  • There are two types of severe traumatic brain injury classifications
    • A closed traumatic brain injury occurs when the brain is jolted around inside the skull resulting in a more serious consequence or disturbance of the brain. This, like a mild concussion can be caused by a fall, blow or sudden jolt to the head.
    • An open traumatic brain injury occurs when the skull is actually penetrated by an object which either directly makes contact with the brain or due to the penetration of the skull can cause a more serious brain injury.

The symptoms for severe traumatic brain injuries often are highly noticeable due to the amount of trauma that has been caused to the person, but can also include the mild symptoms above.

The way most hospitals and doctors measure the initial severity of a traumatic brain injury is in the form of an initial test called the Glasgow Coma Scale. The GCS is quick test that asks three questions that requires a number ratings response. The lowest GCS score is a 3 which is a very severe situation and the best case scenario is a 15. For more information on the GCS visit Brainline.org.

Some quick traumatic brain injury facts according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• It’s estimated that over 5 million US citizens are living with a traumatic brain injury that has left them with a disability of some sort
• TBI’s are rising in athletes where a heavy amount of physical contact is required such as football. Both the government and organizations affiliated with athletes of all kinds are implementing some safety measures to attempt to limit the amount of traumatic brain injuries.
• Statistically, individuals who have fallen make up the largest percentage of traumatic brain injury reports in all age groups
• Automobile accidents actually account for the highest percentage of deaths due to traumatic brain injury.

At Campbell & Associates, we pride ourselves on personal contact and each client is not just a number or dollar sign, we treat them as if they were our own family. Our professional and experienced personal injury attorneys and support staff are dedicated to making sure that you and your family receive the best possible outcome as a result of your traumatic brain injury. Call us today at 704-333-0885, chat with us online 24/7 or send us an email today for a free consultation. As always, there’s never a fee unless we obtain a settlement offer for you