Unfortunately brain injuries can occur in a number of different ways and quite often can arise from a blow to the head. This may be caused by a road traffic accident, a bad fall and even sports injuries; this is demonstrated more so in the cases of rugby players and boxers.
Head injury accidents are the most common admittance in to A&E departments every year.
How does a brain injury occur?
A brain injury occurs after there has been an impact to the head resulting in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The affect of the impact to the head results in a sequence of events including the after affects of the impacts such as swelling and lack of oxygen.
The fist action is that of the external factor which causes the injury; this can be a closed head injury, or a penetrating injury.
A closed head injury is caused when there is no visible wound to the skull. This may be the case in a bad road traffic accident whereby you are thrown back and forth in your seat. This motion causes the brain to move about; however the severe and rapid movements can cause the brain to twist and nerves can be torn. Concussion is a good example of a closed head injury; bumping you head at home can sometimes cause you to lose consciousness for a few moments but you won’t have necessarily broken the skin.
A penetrating brain injury is quite self explanatory. This sort of injury is not as common as that detailed above and is caused by an object penetrating the skull and thus in to the brain. An example of this would be a bullet wound or falling on to a sharp object.
The next point can be easily avoided as long as medical attention is sought immediately but can also be life threatening. Starving the brain of oxygen can be fatal and can be caused by loss of blood flow to the brain or restrictions in the individuals’ air intake. If someone has severe injuries and is losing a lot of blood, this can restrict the blood flow to the brain and it is therefore important to try and stop the bleed as quickly as possible. You can stop the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound and if possible elevate the limb (DO NOT do this if you suspect there may be other serious injuries!).
The final link in the ‘chain’ can occur at any time following the accident and reiterates the importance of seeking medical attention. Swelling, bruising and bleeding can occur some weeks after the accident. These can be very serious as the brain is contained in your skull and your skull is a protective layer for your brain. The skull is a fixed area and thus any bleed cannot escape and any swelling will be restricted, thus resulting in more pressure to the brain. If you are concerned following any head injury you must contact your GP or go to the hospital straight away!
What are the effect’s of a brain injury?
The effect’s of a brain injury will vary from person to person and also depend on the severity of the injury sustained.
The effects can be categorized in to physical, cognitive and behavioural symptoms.
Physical symptoms may include the following:
- Motor control – the brain controls your body and most importantly the bodies movements; the right hand side controls the left and vice versa. If one side of the brain is affected then movement can be restricted. Some people will appear very un-coordinated and others may require the assistance of a wheelchair
- Speech may also be affected, as may be the swallowing reflexes.
- Loss of senses
Cognitive symptoms may include the following:
- Short term memory loss – a person may have difficulty retaining information short term basis
- The frontal lobe of the brain may be affected – this part of the brain is what helps us to plan and organize day to day tasks. Simple activities such as paying for a newspaper may become more difficult
- Concentration
- The ability to learn new activities
Behavioural symptoms may include the following:
- Irritability
- Aggressiveness
- Impulsive – failure to ‘think before they speak’
- Moody/emotional
The above is only a brief insight in to the complex world of brain injuries and if you, a friend or a family member has suffered a brain injury you should seek medical attention and legal advice. You should ensure that you select an experienced personal injury lawyer who preferably has experience in dealing with brain injury claims. They are complex claims to deal with which will require a lot of client care so make you sure you get the best service you can.
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