Brain injuries can be life-changing. No matter the nature of the injury, when your brain is hurt, your healing process can be much different compared to any other body part because your brain controls your whole body. Some brain injuries are mild and are able to heal with minimal medical intervention, like minor concussions. But when a brain injury is severe and alters the way the brain functions, the result on that person’s life could be physically, emotionally, and financially catastrophic.
Victims of brain injuries require medical attention, and depending on the severity, they could require medical equipment and treatment for the rest of their lives. When the accident that caused the brain injury was not the victim’s fault, they shouldn’t be responsible for all the costs they accrue from the injuries. Our Charleston brain injury lawyer at DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC can help you or your loved one through your personal injury claim to recover financial compensation for medical expenses and other costs that shouldn’t be yours to handle.
We can hold the negligent party accountable so that you get peace of mind and hopefully prevent this from happening to anyone else. But first, let’s look at the difference between an acquired and traumatic brain injury.
What Is an Acquired Brain Injury?
Acquired brain injuries (ABI) are a larger group that includes all brain injuries that are not hereditary, congenital, or genetic. That means that any brain injury that happens after birth that was caused by an external source or force, not just genetics, is an ABI. Acquired brain injuries fall under two categories: non-traumatic and traumatic. Sometimes, though, the term acquired brain injury will be used to refer solely to non-traumatic brain injuries.
Non-traumatic brain injuries happen not from a force or a blow, but from inside the body. Rather than blunt force trauma, a non-traumatic brain injury comes from lack of oxygen, pressure, or exposure to toxins, according to the Brain Injury Association of America (BIA). For example, strokes, aneurysms, oxygen deprivation, and tumors all can cause brain injuries.
These types of brain injuries are hard to prevent because usually, the cause of the injury goes unseen until it’s too late. These can either affect just one part of the brain or cause damage to the entire organ. Both scenarios can be incredibly dangerous and life-threatening. Let’s look at the other kind of acquired brain injury, which is a traumatic brain injury.
What Is a Traumatic Brain Injury?
A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a smaller group within the larger group of acquired brain injuries. A person gets a TBI from either a direct blow to the head, also known as a closed injury, or from an object penetrating the skull and damaging brain tissue, which is known as an open injury. TBIs can be mild, like concussions, or they can be severe enough to cause coma and death.
These injuries typically happen in situations like sports and car accidents, or they can be caused by falls, assaults, and explosions. The leading cause of TBIs across the board is from falls, which shows that brain injuries can happen to anyone. A TBI could come from falling from a ladder, slipping on ice, or any other everyday task that might not seem dangerous but can easily turn fatal with one wrong move.
As the leading cause of death and disabilities in children and adults in the United States, it’s important to take TBIs seriously. In fact, over 2.5 million traumatic brain injuries occur each year, with over 50,000 of those injuries resulting in death and over 80,000 causing permanent injury, according to the Brain Trauma Foundation. As soon as a person receives a forceful blow to the head, they should be medically evaluated for a concussion on the spot or taken to a medical professional immediately.
Our Charleston Brain Injury Lawyer Is Here for You
Brain injuries, whether non-traumatic or traumatic, should not be taken lightly. Medical evaluation and intervention are critical so that a person can be diagnosed and treated for their brain injury as quickly as possible. Without proper care, a person’s brain injury could progressively get worse and cause even more damage to the organ they most need to function. But proper care can come at high costs.
If another person or entity was responsible for your brain injury, you shouldn’t be responsible to pay for the resulting hospital visits, medication costs, or other bills for prolonged treatment. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may be left permanently disabled, unable to return to work, and unsure of how you will be able to support your family like you used to.
A brain injury lawyer from DiPiero Simmons McGinley & Bastress, PLLC will be able to fight for your rights so that you get compensation for your medical costs, lost wages, and any other financial toll you have taken from this injury that wasn’t your fault. Reach out to us today so that we can discuss your legal options and get you fair financial compensation.
